Home United has been renamed as Lion City Sailors FC as the two-times S.League (Singapore Premier League) champion became the first football club in Singapore to be privatized!
Singapore-homegrown and Southeast Asia’s largest Internet company, Sea (parent company of Shopee, Garena and SeaMoney) has officially announced on Friday, 14 February 2020 that it has assumed ownership of Home United.
The privatization marks one of the biggest developments in Singapore Premier League’s recent history. This is also a pilot project between Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and Sea in potentially shaping the professional football landscape in Singapore.
Deputy CEO of Thai Premier League & Director of Club Licensing, Benjamin Tan is one of the first to praise the latest development in Singapore football scene.
“It is a very positive initiative by FAS and relevant authorities in allowing clubs privatization – something which we have been talking about for a long time,” Benjamin sharing his thoughts with Junpiter Futbol.
“What the Singapore Premier League desirably needs is having strong brands and corporate entities coming to support Singapore football, lifting its brand and image which will translate into sporting or football success.
Such model allow clubs to develop football on and off the field, grow the league commercially, which allows the Singapore teams to compete domestically and internationally,” added Benjamin.
Not only praises are coming in from Thailand, Malaysia’s Kedah FA head coach and former Home United head coach Aidil Sharin also echoed after Benjamin, “I feel that the privatization is the right path and it’s definitely shows that there are good investors in Singapore. And yes, it’s certainly a good news for Singapore football!”
Lions City Sailors will be targeting domestic silverware and a place in the AFC Champions League. As it sets its sight on success in 2020, the Lion City Sailors coaching team will be led by Aurelio Vidmar, the former Socceroos captain. He joins after a hugely successful stint in Australia where he led Adelaide United to the 2008 AFC Champions League final, becoming the first Australian team to earn this distinction.
The team has also been augmented with some key off-season signings including Lions stalwarts Hassan Sunny, Gabriel Quak and Shahdan Sulaiman, Japanese defender Kaishu Yamazaki, and as well as prolific Australian forward, Andy Pengelly.
Lion City Sailors will make its debut in the upcoming Singapore Premier League season which kicks off on 29 February 2020.
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Content Reference: Lions City Sailors FC
Featured Photo: Lions City Sailors FC
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