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An overwhelming majority of Yahoo! users says they won’t blame Fandi Ahmad if his talented footballing children choose to play for South Africa instead of Singapore.
Over a hundred users responded to our question of whether they would forgive Singapore’s favourite footballing son if he allows his eldest kids — Irfan and Ikhsan, who are 13 and 11 respectively – to turn their back on Singapore and play for their mother’s country of birth, South Africa, in future.
Yahoo! Fit-to-Post user I Am Max said, “In the end, I believe the choice rests with his sons. It would be nice if they want to play for Singapore, but we as fellow Singaporeans, should be supportive whatever decision they make and be proud that Singapore is able to produce such remarkable talents.”
Another user lynie88 agreed, saying that having to serve National Service would potentially harm the development of Fandi’s sons as professional footballers.
He said: “NS will kill their sporting career. If they have the chance to be in the academy of a club in Europe by 18, then our government should exempt them from serving NS. Sporting talent like these two boys are once in a lifetime and what we’ve always wanted but never had before.”
Another user kwek60 had a message for Fandi and said, “Go and be the best you and kids can be. When successful, tell people you are from Singapore. When successful, lend Singapore a hand in the area you are best in. This is what I call real home-grown talent, that we should support.”
Ye another, mwjk, urged Fandi to make the right decision.
“Fandi, like everyone else is saying, you and Wendy & your family, have our support and we all back you 100%. If I was in this same situation, I would probably be in the same dilema. But I will not think twice if it was my son’s future. I would go.”
The current debate came to light after Irfan and Ikhsan made a huge impression while playing for Arsenal Soccer School Indonesia during the International Soccer Festival taking place in Surrey on the outskirts of London.
Both boys, who were previously on trial with AC Milan and Valencia, are reportedly courted by EPL giants such as Arsenal and Chelsea but they cannot sign schoolboy forms — the first step towards becoming a professional footballer in England — until they turn 14.
But while it seems only a matter of time before Fandi’s boys sign on as football apprentices (Arsenal reportedly have first right of refusal), the larger question — if they do turn professional – is which country they would choose to play for?
While Singapore would be the obvious option, the boys’ mother, Wendy Jacobs, is from South Africa, making them available to play for the recent 2010 World Cup hosts when the time comes.
Speaking to The New Paper from London, Fandi, 48, said as much.
“Well, I don’t know, really,” he said. “Right now, it’s a bit too far to think about that.”
The former Lions skipper admitted that National Service — the mandatory 24-month national call-up period that all Singaporean males must serve — is a major issue.
“NS is a problem, although I don’t want to say too much because it is a sensitive issue. When I was 16, Ajax offered to sign me but I had to tell them to wait two years (for me to complete my NS).”
Former Singapore star R. Sasikumar, the boys’ manager, elaborated: “You won’t be at the top of your game during that two years of your life in NS. At that age in football, you have to be in Europe.”
The other obvious question is – would the boys even want to play for Singapore? Realistically speaking, the national careers of both players would better be fulfilled if they were to represent South Africa, who despite failing to reach the second round of the recent World Cup, made a decent impression on the world stage.
To complicate matters, the Jakarta-based Fandi is also in talks with his former Dutch side, FC Groningen, about a coaching position.
As such, should Fandi be offered the job, it’s possible that Irfan and Ikhsan will join the youth academy that groomed the talents of superstars like Arjen Robben and Ronald Koeman.
Perhaps the only consolation is that Fandi and his sons have plenty of time before making their big decision.
Thank you for the incredible, amazing response to Yahoo!’s Fit-To-Post blog so far. We continue to welcome your views and comments but please don’t abuse this opportunity. Be nice. Be courteous. Be sensible. Respect the feelings of others and refrain from using any kind of offensive language.
Thank God Wendy Jacobs remain a PR and not convert to be a Sinkie!
Over a hundred users responded to our question of whether they would forgive Singapore’s favourite footballing son if he allows his eldest kids — Irfan and Ikhsan, who are 13 and 11 respectively – to turn their back on Singapore and play for their mother’s country of birth, South Africa, in future.
Yahoo! Fit-to-Post user I Am Max said, “In the end, I believe the choice rests with his sons. It would be nice if they want to play for Singapore, but we as fellow Singaporeans, should be supportive whatever decision they make and be proud that Singapore is able to produce such remarkable talents.”
Another user lynie88 agreed, saying that having to serve National Service would potentially harm the development of Fandi’s sons as professional footballers.
He said: “NS will kill their sporting career. If they have the chance to be in the academy of a club in Europe by 18, then our government should exempt them from serving NS. Sporting talent like these two boys are once in a lifetime and what we’ve always wanted but never had before.”
Another user kwek60 had a message for Fandi and said, “Go and be the best you and kids can be. When successful, tell people you are from Singapore. When successful, lend Singapore a hand in the area you are best in. This is what I call real home-grown talent, that we should support.”
Ye another, mwjk, urged Fandi to make the right decision.
“Fandi, like everyone else is saying, you and Wendy & your family, have our support and we all back you 100%. If I was in this same situation, I would probably be in the same dilema. But I will not think twice if it was my son’s future. I would go.”
The current debate came to light after Irfan and Ikhsan made a huge impression while playing for Arsenal Soccer School Indonesia during the International Soccer Festival taking place in Surrey on the outskirts of London.
Both boys, who were previously on trial with AC Milan and Valencia, are reportedly courted by EPL giants such as Arsenal and Chelsea but they cannot sign schoolboy forms — the first step towards becoming a professional footballer in England — until they turn 14.
But while it seems only a matter of time before Fandi’s boys sign on as football apprentices (Arsenal reportedly have first right of refusal), the larger question — if they do turn professional – is which country they would choose to play for?
While Singapore would be the obvious option, the boys’ mother, Wendy Jacobs, is from South Africa, making them available to play for the recent 2010 World Cup hosts when the time comes.
Speaking to The New Paper from London, Fandi, 48, said as much.
“Well, I don’t know, really,” he said. “Right now, it’s a bit too far to think about that.”
The former Lions skipper admitted that National Service — the mandatory 24-month national call-up period that all Singaporean males must serve — is a major issue.
“NS is a problem, although I don’t want to say too much because it is a sensitive issue. When I was 16, Ajax offered to sign me but I had to tell them to wait two years (for me to complete my NS).”
Former Singapore star R. Sasikumar, the boys’ manager, elaborated: “You won’t be at the top of your game during that two years of your life in NS. At that age in football, you have to be in Europe.”
The other obvious question is – would the boys even want to play for Singapore? Realistically speaking, the national careers of both players would better be fulfilled if they were to represent South Africa, who despite failing to reach the second round of the recent World Cup, made a decent impression on the world stage.
To complicate matters, the Jakarta-based Fandi is also in talks with his former Dutch side, FC Groningen, about a coaching position.
As such, should Fandi be offered the job, it’s possible that Irfan and Ikhsan will join the youth academy that groomed the talents of superstars like Arjen Robben and Ronald Koeman.
Perhaps the only consolation is that Fandi and his sons have plenty of time before making their big decision.
Thank you for the incredible, amazing response to Yahoo!’s Fit-To-Post blog so far. We continue to welcome your views and comments but please don’t abuse this opportunity. Be nice. Be courteous. Be sensible. Respect the feelings of others and refrain from using any kind of offensive language.
Thank God Wendy Jacobs remain a PR and not convert to be a Sinkie!
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This is not the 'two in one' mix the MIWs are looking for, only the VIVIEN types...
