Singapore Football: Albirex Niigata is unworried regardless of losing Kyoga Nakamura

Photo Credit: the straits times

Singapore football news is here to provide the latest happenings in the world of Singaporean football in which considering as the main sport in the country. Albirex Niigata Singapore football club is a former Singapore Premier League champions will have to work without their captain Kyoga Nakamura as it joins Tampines Rovers, however the team is determined to rebuild to regain glory. The 24-year-old midfielder nominated for the Young Player of the Year and Goal of the Year awards at the annual Football Association in Singapore night. According to the general manager of Niigata, Koh Mui Tee stated:

“There is no doubt Kyoga was one of our best players. He had exemplary conduct. He contributed a lot to the team, but we are sure we will get better players. We want to better our performance next year, and our ambition is to regain the title. We’ll sign better players than him.”

Kyoga express to thank the White Swans fans on the Albirex website and stated:

“The next season, I will be your opponent, But I hope you will still support me as a player.”

Niigata completed 4th within the nine squad SPL this year following the dominating local football for three seasons. Not only the Japanese outfit secure three straight titles from 2016 to last year, however, they also wipe all other trophies: three community shields, two league cups, and three Singapore cups. And with the likes of Kyoga missing in the squad, it will be a huge reconstruction job next season. The Jurong East based squad have maintained just three players namely: reserve goalkeeper Hyrulnizam Juma’at, local winger Zamani Zamri, and long serving midfielder Hiroyoshi Kamata. Among the new signings is youth player Kazuki Hashioka, and a former Urawa Red Diamonds.

Koh stated of the 22-year-old, whose younger brother, Daiki, is a Japanese international who plays for Urawa’s J-League squad, “Kazuki is a winger who has the speed to poach for us. I hope our new players will be able to adjust to the Singapore weather and style of play, and integrate fast with the team.

On the local office, the squad have signed Singapore Under-18 midfielders Ong Yu En and Iman Hakim Ibrahim, he was considered as the New Paper Dollah Kassim Award achievement last month. Koh believes that the two youngsters will grab the chance to improve and open the door for the trials along with their parent team in Japan. Koh stated:

“Iman has a lot of potential, we think that both Iman and Yu En can be national team players. Our hope is to help them become Albirex players within the Japan League.”


However, 1st they must achieve the standard form of former skipper Kyoga, who has a sharp eye for the goal as well. The Japanese captain registered seven this year, plus a 35-meter lob in a 3 – 3 stalemate in July against Home United, in which giving him a chance for a nomination for the Goal of the Year accolade.