Fulham Rookie Davis Cleared To Play For Singapore

In a depressing year for Singapore soccer, the eligibility of Fulham rookie Ben Davis gives its youngsters a glimmer of hope as it tries to book a place at next year's Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Under-19 Championship in Indonesia.
The 23-man squad left for the qualifying tournament in Mongolia on Wednesday night. They play their first match against Thailand on Saturday in a group that also includes Japan and the host nation.
Davis, 17, is an attacking midfielder or striker who signed a two-year scholarship with Fulham in July, and aspires to be like Liverpool's Phillipe Coutinho. He was born in Thailand - his mother is Thai and his father is British - and obtained Singaporean citizenship in 2009.
While he's previously represented the nation in AFF tournaments at age-group levels, approval to play for the first time in AFC competitions was granted only this week.
"(Ben) came last week, but he just qualified from (Monday)," Singapore U18 head coach Christophe Chaintreuil told ESPN FC.
"It's a good thing (because) we make hard work to have this boy with us. I think the team manager Rejan and all the guys in the office started working on this seven months ago."
On Tuesday night, Davis stood out in a friendly game against Temasek Polytechnic, before being substituted midway through the second half. He scored two goals and provided an assist, all before halftime, in a 4-0 victory at Jalan Besar Stadium.
Chaintreuil hopes that Davis will help the young Singaporeans give a good account of themselves after a bleak series of results by age-group teams over the past year or so.
In 19 matches, the U15, U18 and U22 teams have won just five times, with 14 defeats. They've managed only 19 goals, while Japan's Albirex Niigata (S) has dominated the S.League at the expense of local clubs like Home United and Tampines Rovers.
One outstanding player can only do so much, but Davis is happy to try to lift Singapore's youth fortunes. For the U19 qualifiers, it will be missing talented striker Ikhsan Fandi, son of national legend Fandi Ahmad, who stood out in August's Southeast Asian Games.
"It feels good to get exposure at international level. And also to play for the country, try to help them qualify," Davis told ESPN FC.
"My performance was alright (in the warm-up match). Should've scored a hat trick but I'm happy with two goals and an assist."
Davis' second goal gave a glimpse into his potential, as he beat a couple of defenders, before shooting with power and accuracy from outside the box.
Davis is one of 10 new Fulham scholars for the 2017-2018 season, and the first from Singapore. Although he's spent only three months with the English second-tier outfit, he feels that he has already improved. Fulham's U18 side plays against Premier League opposition, including Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.
"I think I've made a massive improvement from when I came back. Started to get better and better," Davis said.
"The intensity in England is much higher, with the physically and pace of the game. But it can definitely be improved, especially with good opponents like Japan and Thailand (in the AFC qualifiers). Can learn a lot from the experience," he added.
Chaintreuil says he needs to see more before finalizing his opinion, but was excited by Davis' performance in the warm-up match.
"His technicality is very good, he reads the game well and he can score. I want the team to grow with these kinds of players," he said. "He has a good potential for the future, but he needs to improve more and play more and play more games.
"So, for him, it's very important to play at the best level - and England is a better level than Singapore's. So it's good for the future of the Singapore national team."
Davis has the dream of becoming the first Singaporean to play in the Premier League. At 1.72 meters and 60 kilograms, he is slightly built in the mold of his Brazilian hero, Coutinho, who has scored 46 goals in 190 games for Liverpool since 2013.
"I like him and the way he plays. Stylish. He's very quick on the ball," Davis said.

Jason Dasey is Singapore-based Senior Editor of global soccer website ESPN FC.
Twitter: @JasonDasey

Conte Ponders Chelsea's Difficult Season

Antonio Conte's return to Italian soccer on Tuesday proved such a chastening experience as he watched his Chelsea side dismantled by AS Roma in the Champions League that he worries it could be set for a "very difficult" season.
A downbeat Conte said he and his players all had to take responsobility for the 3-0 capitulation in Group C, which equaled the biggest he has suffered in his Chelsea reign, and needed to rediscover its hunger for battle quickly.
Chelsea's Thibaut Courtuis, whose second-half saves kept the score down, was also baffled by how the Premier League champion lost its "fighting spirit" after halftime as it became the first English side to lose in the Champions League this season.
Two first-half goals from Stephan El Shaarawy seemed to break Chelsea's spirit to such an extent that after the break it was both so disorganized at the back and careless with its distribution that it bore no resemblance to the efficient outfit that was so hard to breach last season.
After Diego Perotti made it 3-0, Conte told BT Sport: "Roma showed more will to fight and more desire to win the game. For this performance, we all have to take responsibility.
"When you concede three goals, you must be worried. It means something doesn't work," he added, as quoted by Reuters.
Talking to Sky Sports, he said: "This season will be very difficult if we don't understand quickly the right way that we have to go.
"Last season we showee great hunger, great will to do something of importance. If we think that only because our name is Chelsea and the opponent has fear (of) the name Chelsea, I think this is not the right way.
"We must find the hunger that we showed in all last season and in this season sometimes."
Conte has cut a restless figure all season with Chelsea's Premier League title defense having having been underwhelming as it lays nine points off the leaders Manchester City.
Increasing media speculation about Conte being replaced at Stamford Bridge by compatriot Carlo Ancelotti also left him uncharacteristically irritable at a news conference last week.
Yet he seems even more exasperated whit what he is seeing on the field, Chelsea's woeful defending in the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday making him wish aloud that such a performance was for "one night only."
The evidence, though, is that a lack of confidence is infecting his previously mean rear-guard, as shown in particular by the lack of communication between Antonio Rudiger and his fellow defenders which led to El Shaarawy's second goal.
"We have to fight back on Sunday (in the Premier League clash with Manchester United) and shows the fans this was an off-day," Courtuis told BT Sport.
The only good newa for Chelsea was that Atletico Madrid's shock home draw against Qarabag in the other Group C fixture meant the London side only needs one win from ITS final two games to ensure qualification for the knockout stages.

Reuters/Rome

Q&A BeIN Taps Into RI Soccer Fan Market With Sports Connect

BeIN Asia Pacific, a multi-platform media company in affiliation with Qatar-based beIN Media Group, is getting serious about the Indonesian market.
Through one of its services, beIN Sports, which broadcasts world-class sports events, beIN is tapping into the country's growing mobile platform business by launching the Indonesian version of "beIN Sports Connect," a streaming service.
The service offers the country's soccer fans access to the world of soccer, including the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, LaLiga, Ligue 1, MLS, Superliga Argentina, Turkish Super Lig and Hyundai A-League.
The service - offering both live streaming and recorded matches - is worth Rp 75,000 (US$ 5.52) per month in a promotional package.
At the service's launch event on Tuesday, The Jakarta Post's Dicky Christanto talked to beIN Sport's Asia-Pacific operational managing director Mike Kerr about the business. Below are the excerpts from the interview.
Question: Indonesia is a promising market with 125 million smartphone users. But other than that, why has beIN decided to launch the Indonesian version of Sports Connect?
Answer: Indonesia is a very robust and fast-growing media market. Currently, we have six pay-TV partners in this market, and we will totally support them because of our TV affiliates. So we are offering beIN Sports Connect as a value-added service to their customers.
We also have a growing digital aggregation business. The media landscape is changing, everything is becoming internet delivered. So that ia exactly what we are doing. We are taking the opportunity to enhance the product and the connection we have with Indonesian customers.
Q: Why do you think the timing is right to launch the service today?
A: We could have launched it earlier, but this has been an ongoing development. Indonesia is our fourth market in Asia, after Australia, New Zealand and Thailand. We have a partnership with SuperSoccer here, and that will continue. It was really a matter of us developing the right technology to be able to integrate with many partners in the market. We plan to launch in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the Phillippinea before the year-end.
Q: Is beIN Sports the only player here?
A: No, SuperSoccer has done a fantastic job here, with the Serie A, they also have other rights to international competitions. Fox Sports is also here focusing on AFC (Asian Football Confederation) content, premium tennis and golf. We are the new player since 2014; we will focus on bringing premium soccee content.
In the long term, we are looking to expand our channela, not just sports channels. In 2016, we acquired Miramax Studio, which has a library of more than 700 movies. To integrate that within the group is probably the opportunity in the future.
Q: Do you think there will be more city-based soccer fans that subscribe?
A: The penetration of mobile internet means we should reach everyone, sports fans aren't defined by where their live. It is part of our DNA, sports is very much of the human psyche, it's one team against another team and it really generates the fan base and support. Through new technology and a digital platform, we will certainly reach every sports fan in Indonesia. That's our goal.
Q: Will the service feature Indonesian leagues in the future?
A: We don't have such a plan in the future. However, we wouldn't rule out any sports content. I think what we want to do is to engage with Indonesian fans, but we certainly have interest in local leagues. It's very encouraging to see the local leagues in Asia and Indonesia growing and becoming a lot more stable. If it makes sense for us, from a business perspective, we can certainly create a business partnership to exploit the local leagues to provide value to the fans, then we would certainly conaider it.
Q: How do you see beIN Sports in five years from now?
A: The media landscape is changing and therefore promotes the biggest opportunity? This has been the most ideal in the media industry. Things will change and develop; some traditional businessman would change their business model. As technology advances, we will find new options to deliver a better experience for the customers. We are young and nimble, and very flexible, and need to stay that way to keep our existence in the world market.
We like to view the future as a fantastic opportunity, more partners and being established in Indonesia and elsewhere. I am very confident and optimistic about our future.

Jp/Bangkit Jaya Putra

Arsenal On Brink of Knockout Rounds

Having made a perfect start to its Europa League campaign, Arsenal can secure a place in the knockout phase with two group games to spare by beating Red Star Belgrade, on Thursday.
The Gunners play host to the 1991 European Cup winners in north London a fortnight after Oliver Giroud's remarkable late goal secured a 1-0 win in Belgrade.
Having also got the better of Cologne and BATE Borisov, Arsene Wenger's side are top of Grpup H with maximum points and simply avoiding defeat against the Serbian league leaders could be enough for them to progress to the last 32.
For a side growing in confidence after four straight wins in all competitions, another victory should not be too much to ask, even if Wenger will again rotate his squad with one eye on Sunday's Premier League clash with Manchester City.
Everton, the other English side in the competition, is in a rather less favorable position as it heads to France to take on Lyon.
Languishing in the relegation zone in the Premier League and without a permanent manager since the sacking of Ronald Koeman last week, the Toffees could be eliminated from Europe on Thursday.
Such a scenario will arise if it loses and Group E leader Atalanta avoids defeat in its game against Apollon Limassol in Cyprus.  AFP/Paris

RI To Face Timor-Leste In S. Korea Qualifiers

Indonesia's Under-19 soccer team will face Timor-Leste in its second game of the 2018 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup Under-19 Championship qualification round in Paju, South Korea on Thursday.
Indonesia, host of the 2018 cup in Greater Jakarta, opened the Group F qualifier with a flying start in a 5-0 win against Brunei on Tuesday. Coach Indra Sjafrie said his team had a training session on Wednesday afternoon.
"(Next Wednesday) the boys will play at 12p.m. local time. They are physically fit and all set," the coach said in a statement, adding that his players has adapted to Paju's breezy weather.
"We have to remain alert against Timor-Leste, despite its loss to Malaysia (in its opening match). I may rotate our starting lineup," said Indra.
Indonesia is currently the group leader with three points.
As the host, Indonesia has automatically secured a spot at the 2018 cup. A total of 16 team will take part in the tournament as well as from Oct. 18 to Nov. 4. The matches in 2018 will be played in Jakarta, Bandung, Bekasi, Cibinong and Cikarang in West Java.

JP/Jakarta

From Zagreb With Love

A group of Indonesian journalist, including The Jakarta Post, was invited to tour several cities across Croatia, including the capital Zagreb, by Turkish Airlines and the Croatian Tourism Board. Here is the report.
The moment I arrive in the Croatian capital Zagreb, and take in my surroundings, I know's I'm gping to love this city.
Zagreb often goeas unnoticed among travelers, considered a transit city on their way to the Adriatic coastlines for which Croatia is famous for.
The city is definitely underrated. It may not be as popular as Paris or London among tourists, but that's their loss.
I was immediately charmed not just by its rich culture and history but also the capital's soul.
In many corners of Zagreb, the intoxicating cafe culture - people chatting with friends, reading or simply people gazing while lounging on open-air terraces outside cafes or restaurants - washes over me, sending out the feeling how life slowing down and letting me know it's time to relax and put life on pause.
Zagreb washorsebackown calming charm, for me, like a breath of fresh air - slightly smaller than Jakarta and it is home to much fewer people at just 800,000, compared to over 10 million back home. And it's free of traffic jams.
Keeping an open mind, with 30 hours to spend in the city. I decide not to pressure myself to religiously follow the "best thinga to do" and "10 places to see" tips I read on my way there. I just embrace the moment.
In the first few hours, I get trapped into the first-time visitors habit of doing touristy things while following our guide Damjan Beusan on walking tour.
The tour starts from the Hotel Dubrovnic, where we're staying, located just steps away from Zagreb's heart and soul - the Ban Josip Jelacic Square, one of its iconic symbols that has not only stood witness to history, but also serves as a favorite meeting place among locals and visitors alike.
As its center, a statue of the country's military hero sits proudly on horseback wielding his sword, as trams clatter around. It was easy to get lost among the crowds walking leisurely to work, to shop or to meet up with friends.
"There's no need to worry getting lost here because everything, and everyone, eventually leads back to the square," Beusan says.
I learn later in my free time that Zagreb is perfectly viewed from the 360-degree observation deck located in the square. It's cityscape, unlike most European cities, is a captivating combination of the Austro-Hungarian and socialist architectural styles.
Alon its cobbed streets, most of Zagreb's famous landmarks are within a walking distance from the square: from St. Mark's Church, which patterned tile roof depicts the Croatian and Zagreb coats of arms, to the Catedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which neo-Gothic grandeur and towering twin spires are hard to miss.
Other must-visit places nearby is the Dolac open air market where traders - under the shade of red umbrellas that lend a postcard-perfect view from afar - offer fresh produce, from fruits to vegetables, and from fish to olive oil and quick bites, earning it nickname as "the Belly of Zagreb."
"The market is not just a place where people shop, but, just like the square, it's a meeting place, where frienda meet and, after finishing shopping, have coffee in nearby cafes or restauranta," Beusan says.
Croatia is probably famous for its wine, but coffee, the fragrant dark beverage, is its lifeblood.
Rows of cafe terraces are filled with people enjoying their coffee day and night, with no popular coffee chain around. A coffee lover myself, I was in my element.
Beusan says Croats enjoy many kind of coffee, from Italian to Turkish, but for them, coffee is all about socializing, connecting with people, whether catching up with friends or closing a business deal.
Coffee, and not a bottle of wine as is customary elsewhere, is the perfect gift when visiting someone's home.
"People have coffee everywhere here, so when someone orders tea, it's so shocking that he'd be asked if he was sick," Beusan said before bursting into laughter.
After all the walking, I think I've earned myself a break. Taking a seat and gazing at the people strolling around while waiting for my coffee, I realize that of all the places I've visited, Zagreb is the city that I'd love to revisit, even linger in for longer, to explore all its nooks and crannies and beyond.

Stevie Emilia
The Jakarta Post/Zagreb

Museum of Broken Relationships - Love: Found And Lost

From a toaster to an ax, each of the seemingly ordinary items on display comes with an emotionally charged story of love - found, cherished and lost.
Zagreb's Museum of Broken Relationships is probably the most memorable museum I've been to.
The museum started out in 2006 as an art project by Zagreb artist couple, film producer Olinka Vistica and sculptor Drazen Grubisic, three years after their four year relationship had come to an end. They later asked friends to donate objects left behind from their breakups, and the collection was born.
The collection has traveled the world over to more than 40 citiea, and garnering more tokens of lost love in the process.
In its out-of-the box concept, the museum, which openes in 2010 in the beautiful baroque Kulmer Palace in Zagreb's historical Upper Town area, offers the chance to overcome emotional loss through creation by contributing to its collection, in hopes of inspiring a personal search for deeper insights and to strengthen one's belief in something more meaningful than grief.
"Whatever the motivation for donating personal belongings - be it sheer exhibitionism, therapeutic relief or simple curiosity - people embraced the idea of exhibiting their emotional legacy as a sort of ritual, a solemn ceremony," the writing says on the museum's wall. "Our societies acknowledge marriages, funerals, and even graduation farewells, but deny us any formal recognition of the demise of a relationship, despite its strong emotional effect."
One of the exhibits, titled An Ex-Axe (1995, Berlin, Germany), tells the story of an axe used by a woman to chop up her partner's furniture before neatly arranging the fragments into small piles for her former lover to take away.
Another, The Toaster of Vindication (2006-2010, Denver, Colorado), is simply explained in gleeful mean-spiritedness: "When I moved out, and across the country, I took the toaster. That'll show you. How are you going to toast anything now?

JP/Stevie Emilia