SINGAPORE, 30 AUGUST 2006

INTRODUCTION

1. The FAS launched the Foreign Sports Talent (FST) scheme in the year 2000. Its objective was to complement the FAS Youth Development programme by identifying the playing positions in the National Teams that were lacking, especially from its youth development output and to fill these gaps with FSTs. The first FSTs were inducted in Jan 2002.

2. Learning from the experience of implementing the FST scheme over the last four to five years, the FAS in late 2005 decided it was timely to review and fine-tune the scheme.

3. A/P Ho Peng Kee said, “The FAS FST scheme is fundamentally sound and has worked well for Singapore football. What it needs now is some refinement and fine-tuning. Blending in well with local-born Singaporeans, the FSTs have helped to strengthen the national team.

“A review is timely as changes made to schemes governing players’ salary caps (both local and foreign) over the past few years have rendered some elements of the FST scheme less relevant and meaningful.

“Also, the FAS wants to ensure that the FST scheme remains meaningful and affordable and that it continues to complement our youth development programmes”.

CONTRIBUTION OF FAS FSTs TO SINGAPORE FOOTBALL

4. The FAS notes that the FST scheme has contributed to the regeneration and revival of our National Team and has played its part, together with our NFA programme, to bring about significant improvement in standards and performance of the Team in International competitions.

5. FST players have helped Singapore’s ranking improve over the past few years. FAS Vice-President, Mr Zainudin Nordin, Mayor Central Singapore District, who chairs the FAS’ Football Excellence Committee notes, “In January 2002, when the first batch of 3 FSTs were inducted, Singapore was ranked 115th in the world (old FIFA Ranking) and 22nd in Asia.

“However, by end 2005, Singapore’s ranking had climbed up to 92nd in the world and 17th in Asia. FIFA also conferred on Singapore the distinct honour of being the most improved National Team in Asia in 2005.

“Today, under the revised FIFA Ranking, Singapore has retained its top spot in ASEAN, ranks 16th out of 46 in Asia and 106th out of 207 in the world”.

6. National Team Captain, Aide Iskandar commented, “The players in the FST scheme have bonded very well with our local-born Singaporeans. For example, in China recently, we all sang the National Anthem with one voice before the game started.

“There is now greater breadth and depth to the quality of the team which is shown in the results we have secured against top football teams such as Denmark, Norway, Japan, Kuwait, Iraq and in the recent AFC Asian Cup qualification match against China.

“There is now greater confidence when we play against top teams.”

7. Added Daniel Bennett, a pioneer member of the FST scheme, ”Playing International football is an ambition of any professional footballer and I’m delighted that I’ve been able to fulfill this ambition with Singapore.

“Since making my debut for my adopted country in 2002, I’ve had the opportunity to play against some of the top football countries such as Japan, China, Iran, Iraq, Denmark and Norway. Prior to that, I was also privileged to be part of the Singapore selection team that took on Liverpool and Manchester United when they came to town in 2001.

“I’ve won 43 “A” caps for Singapore since and the highlight of my career so far has to be winning the Tiger Cup with Singapore last year. It was a special moment for all Singaporeans and I’m very proud to be part of that and Singapore football history.

“Singapore is my home. Not long ago I purchased my own home. My roots are here in Singapore and that’s also another reason why I came back to play in the S.League rather than in the UK.”

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

8. For a foreign born professional football player to be considered for inclusion under the FAS FST scheme, the existing selection criteria are:
(i) He must not have represented any National Team, in any age-group;
(ii) He consistently performs in the S.League and is a notch or two better in standard than local players of his age;
(iii) He has shown that he can add value to the National Team by plugging up a gap in the team;
(iv) He is of good character;
(v) He desires to take up Singapore Citizenship.

9. The review noted that, unlike other sports, criteria (i) (which is a FIFA regulation) makes it difficult for the FAS to induct established international football talents into the FST.

10. Potential FSTs, identified by a Panel comprising the Technical Director, National Coach and FAS Coaching staff, are monitored for at least one S.League season before they are recommended to the FAS EXCO for inclusion in the scheme.

VERIFICATION BY SSC & MCYS

11. The selection process is not arbitrary and dependent upon a select few within FAS. The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), and Singapore Sports Council (SSC) also conduct a thorough verification process before citizenship is considered and offered to our nominated FSTs.

CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE FAS FST SCHEME

12. When FAS first launched the FST scheme in 2000, the intention was to offer citizenship to about 2 to 3 FST players a year.

13. However, due to the stringent selection process and early success to our youth development programme, to-date, only eight FSTs have been granted Singapore citizenship. All of them have played for the National Team and continue to play and contribute to the S.League.

Name of Player And current Club	Age	1st Year in S.League	Year Identified	Year Granted SC	Int “A” Caps & (Goals)
1.Egmar Goncalves (Home)	36	1996 (Home)	2000	2002	13 (3)
2. Mirko Grabovac (Tampines)	35	1999 (SAF)	2000	2002	11
3. Daniel Bennett (Woodlands)	28	1999 (Balestier)	2000	2002	43 (5)
4. Itimi Dickson (Woodlands)	23	2001 (Jurong)	2001	2004	19 (1)
5. Agu Casmir (Woodlands)	22	2002 (Woodlands)	2002	2003	15 (6)
6. Shi Jiayi (Young Lions)	23	2003 (Sinchi)	2003	2005	7
7. Precious Emuejeraye (Gombak)	23	2001 (Jurong)	2003	2005	7
8. Fahrudin Mustafic (Tampines)	25	2002 (Tampines)	2004	2005	9

14. The review also noted that selection into the FAS FST scheme had evolved with time. Initially, older more experienced FSTs like Mirko Grobavac and Egmar Goncalves, (both 35 and 36 years of age respectively today) were inducted. Today, FAS has moved on to inducting younger players like the Shi Jiayi (23 years old) and Precious Emuejeraye (23 years old). These FSTs all have a longer period to contribute to the national cause.

SUBSIDIES UNDER FAS FST PROGRAMME

15. The three components of subsidies which FAS provides to the Clubs under the FST scheme are as follows:
(i) a wage subsidy;
(ii) an accommodation subsidy and
(iii) a travel subsidy.

16. The purpose of providing these subsidies is that the FST will not “lose out” by becoming a Singapore Citizen in that he continues to enjoy the same benefits that he would have enjoyed if he had stayed a foreign player in the SLeague.

WAGE COMPONENT

17. The current basis for providing wage subsidies to Clubs arose from the implementation of the salary caps rule of the S.League which was in practice in 2000, when the programme was introduced.

18. Good foreign players identified under FST were generally earning a salary in excess of S$5,000 a month (the maximum then being S$8,000). Upon becoming a Singapore citizen, the FST would immediately be registered under the S.League rules as a local player. All local players’ individual salaries were then capped at S$5,000 per month.

19. Therefore, this component for wage subsidy including employers CPF subsidy were provided to the Clubs to ensure that the FST players were not penalised (by having to take an unrealistic wage cut) upon becoming Singapore citizens and as the Clubs had to pay an additional sum as part of the employers’ CPF contribution.

ACCOMMODATION COMPONENT

20. The FST’s Clubs were also provided with an accommodation subsidy under this programme up to 75 per cent of cost of their accommodation, which in practice was capped at not more than S$1,800 monthly.

21. The aim of this subsidy was to ensure that the Club would be able to provide the naturalised player the same standard of living that he was used to before he became a citizen.

TRAVEL COMPONENT

22. Finally, there is the travel subsidy. All foreign players signed by Clubs to play in the S.League are generally given a package which will include an annual visit to their families.

23. The FAS provided to the Club a subsidy up to 75 per cent of an economy class ticket for the FST as well as his immediate family, if the FST was married.

PERIOD OF SUBSIDY

24. The FST (through his Club) would receive the FAS FST subsidies under this scheme for as long as the FST was available and willing to play for the National Team, whenever he is called up by the National Coach.

25. However, if an FST player chose to play outside of the S.League, the FST subsidies to the S.League Club would be revoked the moment the FST is de-registered by the S.League Club.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF FST REVIEW ACCEPTED BY FAS EXCO FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN 2007

PLAYING IN THE S.LEAGUE

26. To ensure that some benefit accrues to the S.League from these subsidies granted, all new FSTs will have to play in the S.League for a minimum period of 2 S.League seasons after being granted Singapore Citizenship. They may however apply to the FAS EXCO for waiver of this requirement or for an abridgement of time, if the FST receives good offers to play in reputable overseas professional clubs.

27. FAS considered the option of restricting the number of FSTs an S.League Club could employ so as to spread the FSTs more evenly across the Clubs. However, after due consideration, the FAS decided against imposing this restriction on the Clubs as FSTs, like other Singaporean players, should have the freedom to play for any S.League Club they wish.

CRITERIA FOR FST SELECTION

28. The criteria for selecting and recommending FSTs to FAS EXCO will remain as follows:
(i) He must not have represented any National Team, in any age-group;
(ii) He consistently performs in the S.League and are a notch or two better in standard than local players of his age;
(iii) He has shown that he can add value to the National Team by plugging a gap in the team;
(iv) He is of good character;
(v) He desires to take up Singapore Citizenship.

QUANTUM OF FAS FST SUBSIDIES

Wage Component
29. FAS will withdraw the existing FST wage subsidy from the FTS programme with effect from January 2007. The rational for the withdrawal is that since there are no longer any individual salary caps for players, there is no longer any need for the FAS to provide this subsidy component. There is also no longer a distinction between foreign and local players in terms of salary caps. The current S.League rules impose team salary caps rather than individual salary caps. Therefore it is appropriate and timely for the FAS to withdraw this subsidy component.

Accommodation & Travel Components

30. There will be no changes to the subsidies for the accommodation and travel components. FAS will continue to provide these subsidies to the clubs so that the FSTs will continue to enjoy these benefits.

Travel Component

31. The travel subsidy is capped at 75% of the cost of (at the best possible rate) a return economy air-ticket. The subsidy will apply to the FST, his spouse (if any) and children (if any) at the time when he was inducted into the FST scheme.

Accommodation Component
32. The monthly accommodation subsidy will be capped at 75% of rental or mortgage payment up to a maximum of S$1,800, whichever is lower.
33. Under this revised approach, FAS subsidies for 2007 will amount to about $220,000. This compares to about $2m spent on our youth development programme annually.

END OF FST SUBSIDIES

34. If an FST player chooses to play outside of the S.League, the FST subsidies to the S.League Club will be revoked the moment the FST’s contract with the S.League Club is terminated and or he is de-registered to play in the S.League by his S.League Club.

35. A panel comprising Chief, National Teams, National Coach & Technical Director may recommend to the FAS EXCO the withdrawal of FST subsidies taking into account the following factors:
(i) FST has a poor disciplinary record or has brought the game into disrepute; or
(ii) Does not answer a National Team call-up; or
(iii) Retires from International and / or domestic football; or
(iv) For a new FST, when the Panel considers that he is not adding value to Singapore football because he has displayed poor motivation, has consistently underperformed in the S.League and has not been selected by the National Coach for the National Team for three consecutive years.

WELFARE OF FSTs / AFTER FOOTBALL CAREER

36. Like other local born National Team players, FSTs may take up FAS coaching courses (which are fully subsidised by the FAS) to prepare them for a career after football. The first coaching course must be taken within a year of the FST’s retirement from professional football.

37. All FSTs will also receive periodic counselling and advice especially in the area of planning for their contribution to local football after their playing days are over.

MENTORS

38. As FSTs spend a majority of their time with their respective Clubs, the FAS will officially appoint the Club Manager (or any other suitable official in the club) as a FST’s Mentor. The FST Mentor will work closely with Chief, National Teams and National Team Manager to ensure that the FST adjusts to life in Singapore and integrates into the local community.

FIFA AGENTS TO SCOUT FOR TALENTS

39. FAS will also re-activate its former strategy of appointing FIFA Players’ Agents who will be tasked to identify suitable foreign talent (within S.League salary caps) to play in the S.League.

40. Suitable foreign talent recommended by the FIFA Players’ Agents must meet the FAS Selection criteria before they are included in the FST scheme in the future.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES

41. While the FAS FST scheme has contributed to the improvement in standards and performance of the National team in international competitions, FAS has continued to put in significant resources, far in excess than the amount invested in the FAS FST programme, into our various Youth Development programmes.

42. These youth development programmes have continued to fuel the upward flow of talent from grassroots to schools to Centres of Excellence to National Football Academy to the Young Lions, the Prime & S.Leagues and finally to the National “A” team.

43. Contributing to the regeneration and revival of our National Team over the last two years have been 11 of our locally nurtured players, all of whom are graduates of our National Football Academy & Centres of Excellence.

44. These players are in the current National “A” team that is preparing to play against PR China on 6 September 2006 in the important 2007 Asian Cup qualification match. They are:

1. Lionel Lewis
2. Hassan Sunny
3. Baihakki Khaizan
4. Ismail Yunos
5. Shahril Ishak
6. Isa Halim
7. Mustaqim Mansur
8. Ashrin Shariff
9. Khairul Amri
10. Fazrul Nawaz
11. Tengku Mushadad

45. Said A/P Ho Peng Kee, “The NFA graduates will eventually form the nucleus of our National Team for the next decade. This policy of combining local born talent with our FSTs will result in the National Team going from strength to strength.”