It was another rainy day and he looked tired. There was no denying that. He had a look of a man that had travelled a beaten path; but to that end he sat up proud across the table from me.
For Sporting Afrique coach R Balasubramaniam, he has nothing but faith that sunnier days are ahead for his dreams at another shot.
“It’s never been easy.”
And who can say otherwise? After the executive decision was made that the Flamingos were to sit out next year’s S.League to “sort out administration”, Coach Bala has been relentless in trying to secure another posting elsewhere. However, dishearteningly, and surprisingly to not just this writer but fellow journalists across the island, he is still looking.
Bala’s year had begun brightly. He had fought off a number of other applicants for the Sporting job – which could have in turn thrust himself in a more enviable light.
“I was a rookie coach. There were others who wanted that job (the Sporting head coach position), and for that I have to thank Collin Chee (Sporting Afrique chairman),” he said.
“But in truth, I was never overwhelmed by the prospect. I have the passion to sustain whatever would come my way and the confidence to rise up to the challenge.”
Before taking up the hot seat at Sporting, Bala had spent three solid years working in two well-run organizations – Gombak United in 2003 then Balestier Khalsa in 2004 and 2005 – as head coach for their respective Centres of Excellence (COE).
It was during his time at Balestier that he found that drive to perhaps push and challenge himself further.
“When I was heading up the COE at Balestier, coach (Abdul) Karim called me aside one day and asked, ‘Bala, we were thinking of having someone be an analyst for us. Help us scout and break down future opponents. Would you like that?’ And I thought, ‘Yes. Definitely.’”
It was no surprise then that coupled with BalaÂ’s input, Balestier Khalsa had one of their best seasons in the league, finishing top of the table after the first trimester even.
“It was during that time, making my rounds in the stadiums and seeing how my help aided in results, that I asked myself ‘Why not try for this?’, you know? Reach out and coach an S.League club.”
Confidence aside, make no mistake, R Balasubramaniam is well-qualified. The 33-year-old is a qualified AFC ‘A’ License coach and has the ambition to reach the top.
“I have always had the passion. For the game and especially for local football. I aspire to be a good coach. And I am not ashamed to say that one day hopefully, I want to be our national coach.”
Strong words for a strong-willed man. Coach Bala acquitted himself well in his rookie season. He still remembers though, how bright-eyed he was when it all began.
“For one, I want to thank (FAS Technical Director) P N Sivaji for approving me to be the head coach. I learned a lot from him and also from Robert Lim and John Yap from my time in Gombak. Karim was excellent when I was in Balestier and my brother (former national player R Sasikumar) was a huge influence too.”
“My initial thoughts when I got the job were, other than utter joy, I had to prove a point to a lot of people, especially those who were passed over. But all that scepticism only boosted my morale further.”
He recalls with a smile, the day he stood in front of a roomful of journalists to claim that he felt Sporting Afrique could well finish top three in the league.
“When I first met my players and started training, I looked at the calibre of the team and the way we played. It was, a belief I still think true, that a top half, top five finish was possible.”
The Flamingos’ welcome-to-the-S.League game was a ‘Live’ against defending champions Tampines Rovers.
“Perhaps it was the all those lights,” Bala joked. “But the boys never made it easy for them. And we scored two goals against the defending champions. So for me, that was a good result to take home.”
In the next match, Sporting stunned everyone when they felled giants Woodlands Wellington 2-1.
“That is still one of the best results for me,” he beamed. “Here I was, a rookie coach with a rookie team. On the other side was Karim Bencherifa. A successful and experienced coach with an all-star squad. That win was very satisfying to say the least. A huge victory.”
The Flamingos managed a few more good results – including a win over eventual champions SAFFC at Choa Chu Kang – to justify coach Bala’s faith in his team. And at a time when the Young Lions were scorching everyone else around them, Sporting’s scalp remained.
“The results against the Young Lions please me a great deal,” he calls to mind. “They were the top at the time. Full of confidence. But we held them to two draws, and even though we lost in extra-time against them in the RHB Singapore Cup, that still ranks as one of the best team performances we’ve had.”
But somewhere in June, things started to grow not so well at Sporting.
“One thing I feel everyone has to understand,” said Bala. “Coaching a squad full of foreigners is very different from coaching locals.”
“I think our season, as a whole, went downhill when the players began to split up so to speak. The situation was as such: the players were initially boarded in a huge bungalow. For me, it was more than sufficient. From bedding to living conditions, facilities and all – it was a really good place to live in.”
“But as the season wore on, I think the players themselves had issues with one another. You’ve got the Cameroonians, the Nigerians, the Kenyans – all with their eccentricities. Plus I think more than few started to compare their personal situations with the foreign signings of the other clubs.”
“To me, I was disappointed the players did not understand the situation. In the end, Collin acceded to their requests, got two more houses for them to stay and to me, that living apart from one another reflected in the morale of the unit which was so tight when everyone was under the same room, and communication was tight on and off the field.”
Since then, results had been disappointing for Coach Bala. Sporting showed some spirit but in the end, the commitment levels and attitudes shown by some of the players were just not up to standard for a professional league.
Towards the end of the season when few around the league started to question his tactical nuance, Bala responded to all the criticism by highlighting that he had the responsibility to play the “best side that would have been able to compete”.
“With all the social problems happening and the mental and psychological beings of my players, I did what I had to do – play my strongest squad. I had that responsibility, not only to the players and their families far away, but the fans as well.”
And responsibilities Bala had aplenty. His job scope at Sporting Afrique was not just head coach – he was his own assistant, the club trainer and physio all-in-one. But to his credit, Bala performed all those duties with dignity and distinction.
“Even at the COEs, I was handling a number of tasks all at the same time. Most head coaches would raise hell to their clubs’ management if they were asked to do what I did this year, but I was already conditioned. I had my passion and I knew I could rise up to the challenges.”
“In addition to my roles at the club, I also had to be the friend and father figure to these boys. Sometimes, when they send too much money home and don’t have enough for themselves, they come to me and I try as much as I can to help. Most of them are good kids.”
“To single-handledly take care of a professional club was not easy, but,” he says with a smile, “I’m much stronger for it.”
To make things harder, the players that he did have who were up to par and could depend on, left the club.
“Harrison Muranda and Nicolas Muyoti. Those two were big, disciplined players whom I felt could have lit up the scene.”
“Muranda especially, I was proud of. When he first came to training, he was a little overweight and lacking in fitness. So we worked on them and I spent a fair amount of time working with him and he turned out to be a very good striker. A very good footballer. And Nicolas was the quiet leader in the team and when he left, the others struggled to lead the side.”
“But I am proud and very happy for them. Muranda left for Maldives and he messages me from time to time. He’ll be playing for (Malaysian side) Negeri Sembilan next year. Nicolas is doing well under coach Karim Bencherifa in Goa.”
But to that end, Bala feels that he has fulfilled another target when he first took up the position at the club – to mould these rough diamonds and turn them into polished gems.
Kaze Teffo has secured a contract with Balestier and at least three more players are having trials with the various S.League clubs.
“That was one of the challenges I had set for myself – to make these players sellable, so to speak. I wanted to aid in their development and now that some of them have moved on, given the situation of the organization, I am very proud and very pleased.”
Back to the now, coach Bala is working the lines hard in his quest to continue his education.
“In the beginning, I had a tough time convincing my wife. She’s not a big sports fan. But she believed in me when I left the Navy to pursue this career and now I am not going to disappoint her.”
“The most important thing for me is that I continue my education. It is sometimes disheartening for me when I know that there are some in our own league who don’t have as much faith in local coaches but the clubs need to know that they are good local coaches and these coaches need their support.”
“I want to continue being involved. I am not restricting myself to just another head coaching job, although that would be nice, but the most important thing is that I continue to learn, I continue to contribute as much as possible to local football in whatever capacity.”
So all you clubs out there looking for a passionate, qualified and above all virtuous man to be involved in yours – look no farther.
His enthusiasm will engulf you. His passion will invoke you. His love for the game will make you a believer all over again.
Coach R Balasubramaniam. Good luck!