Safuwan Baharudin glad to be back as Lions do battle at FIFA ASEAN Cup

JAKARTA – After missing the recent ASEAN Championship, Lions defender Safuwan Baharudin is only too glad to be back with the national squad as Gavin Lee’s men do battle at the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup in Indonesia.

The 35-year-old had missed the July 24-Aug 26 tournament as he was on club duty with Malaysian side Selangor. Clubs are not obliged to release players as the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) event did not fall within FIFA’s international window.

During an interview at Hotel Mulia Senayan in Jakarta on Sept 23, Safuwan rued his absence, saying: “It’s a new phase in terms of us qualifying for the Asian Cup and fans are wanting to see the team more, but I was left out and I want to be in this new revamped team for Singapore.

“I felt disappointment also because this is a second edition of the AFF that I’ve missed out on, and that’s my personal target, to play in such competitions,” added the 133-cap veteran, who also missed the 2022 edition as he was not medically cleared then after a concussion.

But as Lee’s men went on to qualify for the semi-finals, Safuwan followed the action closely from the stands of the Jalan Besar Stadium.

“I watched a few of the matches live, I was there for the first leg of the Thailand (semi-final),” he added.

With a first FIFA-sanctioned edition of the regional tournament now on the calendar, Safuwan is raring to return to interntional action, adding that the significance of the occasion was not lost on the squad.

He said: “We were talking about this tournament for a while after the big announcement, and not many players can eventually play in such a prestigious tournament like this, especially during the FIFA window period, and at this age, we have to grab any opportunity (to play for our country).

“It’s a brand new tournament and every team would love to be the first to lift the trophy. It’s a level playing field, and we would love to try and test ourselves.”

World No. 146 Singapore will face 118th-ranked Indonesia in their Group A opener at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on Sept 25, before taking on invited side Bangladesh (181st) at the same venue three days later and facing world No. 136 Malaysia in Bandung on Oct 1.

While Safuwan is back, the Lions will still be missing striker Ikhsan Fandi, who suffered a rib injury while playing for third-tier Japanese side Thespa Gunma.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Sept 24, Lee called Ikhsan’s absence “unfortunate”.

The 36-year-old said: “In football, injuries happen and ultimately, all we can do is to control what we can, and to find the best formula, best solutions, given the players available for the team.”

Ikhsan’s brother and in-form striker Ilhan, who scored four goals in six games at the ASEAN Championship, said: “He (Ikhsan) wished me and the team all the best for this tournament, it’s a shame that he can’t be here to play with us but injuries happen.

“The Indonesian national team is a very strong side and it’s no secret that they are favourites to win this tournament, but as Team Singapore, we want to go out there, give them a good fight, and enjoy the moment.

“It’s also a very good test for us because we are also going to the Asian Cup and I think it’s good to play against these tough opponents in a hostile environment.”

Lee added that first-choice goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud has returned to training and “looks good”.

The 36-year-old custodian was taken off with an injury during the Young Lions’ 4-0 loss to FC Jurong in their Singapore Premier League opener on Sept 13 and was left out of their 5-1 defeat by Geylang International six days later as a precautionary measure.

“(I was) a little bit worried at the start, but seeing how he’s pulled up, I think we are all a little bit calmer,” Lee added.

The Lions had drawn 1-1 with Indonesia during an ASEAN Championship group match at home on Aug 7, resulting in the vistors’ elimination.

While Indonesia coach John Herdman was able to form a stronger squad this time around, he still preached caution.

“We might have a high quality advantage when it comes to our team value, but that team value is only as good as the experience and the quality and the ability to put it together,” said the Englishman.

“I think Singapore has that experience. They have a desire. They bring a fight. They have a collective mentality, and they can make it difficult for you.”

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