Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Subramani calls it a day

Ex-international and Home United defender S.Subramani has called it a day after an illustrious career that spanned more than a decade.

He has been playing since the S-League started in 1996 where he first made his debut with Tanjong Pagar United.

He won the Player of the Year award as well as both the Singapore Cup and FA Cup
with the Jaguars in 1998

His performances in a Jaguars shirt, as well as in the Tiger Cup later that year which saw him won his first international honour as the Lions lifted the Tiger Cup, meant then Home United coach Robert Alberts, who was with the Jaguars from 1996 to 1998 before departing for Home United midway through the 1998 season, had to get his hand on the player.

He was recruited, along with SaisKumar, to join Aide Iskandar to form the bedrock of the Home United team that will go on to win the 1999 S-league championship.

Success will continue to follow him in his time with Home United as he won the S-league crown again in 2003 as well as add 4 more Singapore Cup - 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005 - to his trophy cabinet.

It was no different at the international level as the former Lions defender played for Singapore 113 times and won 2 more Asean Championships - 2004 and 2007 - to add to his 1998 medal.

With Home United, he further make history as the club, along with Geylang United, make the AFC Cup semi-final in 2004 thus becoming the first ever S'porean club to make it that far in an Asian Club competition.

A year later, Home United won it first honour in international football as it lifted the FAM-FAS Cup Champions Cup beating Perak 5-4 overall.

Subramani has become an indispensable player at Home; for when the club underwent a major revamp in 2006, that saw his partner Aide leave the club, Subramani continued to hold the rear at Bishan.

He was promoted to captain at Home and his importance to both club and nation was shown time and time again as Home United would struggle at the back whenever he was out of the team and National coach Raddy had to ask Subramani to postpone his retirement until after the 2007 ASEAN championship was over.

Still, Father time has caught up with the Home United captain and the club stalwart decided to announce he was ‘hanging up his boots’ and after eleven years as a player with the Protectors.

He is now ready to move into coaching, a role he has already begun to take up in recent months since injury cut short his playing opportunities with the club this season.

The club chairman, Koh Siong Ling, presented ‘Mani’ with a cheque for $5,000 just before the start of the second half of the match to the delight of an appreciative crowd during last night Great Eastern – YEO’S S.League match between Home United and Sengkang Punggol.

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Club: Tanjong Pagar United (1996 – 1998), Home United (1999 – 2009)

Position: Defender


International Honour
Tiger Cup 98, 04/05, ASEAN Football Championship 07

Club Honour
S-league 1999, 2003
Singapore Cup 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005
Singapore FA Cup 1998
Player of the Year 1998
FAM-FAS Cup Champion Cup 2005

2 comments:

Ko Po Hui said...

Thank you Mani,

For all the years you have given to us :)

happy said...

Yeah, wish him well & maybe a Hall of Fame in the bolg can be started for players like him

But it has to wait as still a lot things to add