Raddy announces final squad of 22 for defence of AFF Suzuki Cup

SINGAPORE, 21 November 2008: National Coach Radojko Avramovic has named his final squad of 22 players for Singapore’s defence of the AFF Suzuki Cup in December.

Avramovic has picked an experienced squad with 15 players having featured in either or both of the Lions’ past two successful Asean Football Championship campaigns.

Forwards Fazrul Nawaz and Khairul Amri have both been ruled out of the tournament after sustaining knee and foot injuries respectively. Midfielder Hariss Harun is currently recuperating from his knee operation in July and also misses out on selection.

Defenders Shaiful Esah and Rosman Sulaiman as well as goalkeeper Hyrulnizam Juma’at are the only three uncapped players selected in the squad.

Said Avramovic, “With the domestic season over, we must now put this competition in front of us. It is our responsibility as two-time defending champions to play like winners. This squad comprises the best players we have apart from the three missing through injury and it is up to them to show that I was right in selecting them.”

Singapore will take on Cambodia in the opening match of the 2008 AFF Suzuki Cup on 5 December in Jakarta. The Lions are in Group A with Myanmar and co-hosts Indonesia the remaining teams.

Group B in Bangkok features Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam and co-hosts Thailand.

In preparation of their defence of the AFF Suzuki Cup, the Lions will be playing two friendly matches next week before flying off to Jakarta on 1 December.

Singapore will host Vietnam in the Tiger Beer Challenge Cup at the Jurong East Stadium on Wednesday 26 November and will travel to Malaysia on 28 November to take on Malaysia at the MBPJ Stadium in Petaling Jaya on Saturday 29 November.

Goalkeepers:Lionel Lewis (Home United),Hassan Sunny (Tampines Rovers),Hyrulnizam Juma’at (Young Lions)

Defenders:Ismail Yunos (Young Lions),Juma’at Jantan (Home United),Rosman Sulaiman (Home United),Daniel Bennett (SAFFC),Shaiful Esah (SAFFC),Precious Emuejeraye (Gombak United),Noh Rahman (Geylang United),Baihakki Khaizan (Geylang United)

Midfielders:Shahril Ishak (Home United),Shi Jiayi (Home United),Fahrudin Mustafic (Tampines Rovers),Muhammad Ridhuan (Tampines Rovers),John Wilkinson (SAFFC),Isa Halim (Young Lions)

Forwards:Aleksandar Duric (SAFFC),Indra Sahdan Daud (Home United),Agu Casmir (Gombak United),Noh Alam Shah (Tampines Rovers),Qiu Li (Tampines Rovers)

On Standby:Afiq Yunos (Young Lions),Syed Fadhil (Home United),Mustaqim Manzur (SAFFC)