| Singapore | 27 July 2015 | Asia Samachar |
Singapore Sikhs presented a lifetime achievement award to coach V. Sundramoorthy for his contributions to Singapore football.
This was one of the events at the sideline of the Bhai Maharaj Singh Soccer Tournament organised on yesterday (26 July).
Sundram, whom fans call the Dazzler, coaches S-League side Tampines Rovers after two years at the LionsXII. He has been an assistant coach organising the national team’s defence in the 0-0 World Cup qualifying draw against Japan.
He was coy on whether he wants to succeed Lions coach Bernd Stange when the German’s contract expires in September, he wants to occupy the hot seat at least once in the future.
“It’s always a dream to coach the national team. If you are a Singaporean or a coach, what you look forward to in your working career is to coach the national team,” he was quoted in a report in the Straits Times yesterday.
The football tournament at St Wilfrid Sports Complex organised by the Central Sikh Gurdwara to commemorate the 159th death anniversary of soldier saint Bhai Maharaj Singh.
Bhai Maharaj Singh is the Indian freedom fighter who was exiled to Singapore and believed to be the first Sikh in Singapore.
The event was attended by Senior Minister of State for Law and Education Indranee Rajah and MP Inderjit Singh.
Past and present footballers like Terry Pathmanathan, S. Subramani, Rajinder Singh Gill and Delwinder Singh were also present as Sundram was honoured by the local Sikh community with a lifetime achievement award for his contributions to Singapore football, the report added.
Hougang United defender Delwinder, who played for Sundram when he was the national Under-23 coach two years ago, was quoted in the same report as saying: “He [Sundram] definitely has what it takes to be the next national coach. Sundram is a detailed tactician who knows what he wants on the pitch. Off the field, he is very approachable. If you have any problem, you can talk to him.”
Sixty-three teams with more than 500 Sikh players had registered from all categories from all Gurdwaras with equal participating teams, according to one update on the tournament.
[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]
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