Academy Watch - New Season

And making it 4 out of 4 the team finished the evening with a handsome 9-0 win over another local side, JSG Eint. HöhßernSee. Tyrese Francois got a double bringing his total in the tournament to 6. There were also doubles from Sonny Hilton, Cody Dremah and Ben Davis. The other one on the score sheet was Cameron Thompson.

The stronger opposition come tomorrow with Mainz and Dusseldorf. The lads have nonetheless set themselves up in a great position to qualify for the next stage.

 

The lads made it 5 out of 5 with a hard fought 2-1 win over Mainz. Our goals were from Fabio Carvalho and Tyrese Francois. However, we went down narrowly 3-2 to Dusseldorf in the 6th match - Nicolas Santos-Clase got both of ours.

Despite that set back, the team topped the group on goal difference. The Round 2 draw puts us in a three team Group, alongside Borussia M'Gladbach and Schalke, with the games scheduled for tomorrow morning.

 

Quite a morning for the lads. Their first game was a 5-2 win over Borussia M'Gladbach. Fabio Carvalho fired home a hat trick with Ryan De Havilland and Cody Drameh getting the other goals. Then it was the same 5-2 against Shalke. Cody Drameh getting a double. Connor McAvoy, Sonny Hilton and Cameron Thompson the others.

We now go into the Quarter Finals and are drawn against Dusseldorf - time to get revenge on the slim defeat in the Group stage !!

 

Unfortunately not. Dusseldorf took us 4-2. Ryan De Havilland and Nicolas Santos-Clase got our goals.

Good performances over the tournament though and great experience for the future for the lads.

 

Our young forward Oliver McNeill is with England U16s playing in the Mercedes-Benz Aegean Cup in Turkey this week. They're currently taking on Albania.

 

Having been missing for so long great that Jean-Pierre Tiehi can hit two posts in the same day. The young man was 17 just a couple of days ago (24th January) and signed his first professional contract with the Club, until 2021.




Surprised it hasn't been reported by our 'Comms/PR' team.

 

I was very impressed when I saw him in the summer. Obviously, he's still got a long, long way to go, but I think this is great news.

 

Quick advert confirming there's life at the Club - among the Academy

 

Mentioned before about Ben Davis hoping to defer his National Service call up in Singapore. Today their Ministry of Defence say that he could now faces prosecution.

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The statement said, “Mr Benjamin Davis is a National Service (NS) defaulter. He failed to report for NS as required. He is also staying overseas without a valid Exit Permit. Mr Davis has committed offences under the Enlistment Act, and is liable upon conviction to a fine of up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 3 years.”

Ben signed a 2 year deal with us last July and is the first footballer from Singapore to sign a professional contract with a top English team.

It's all now looking more than uncomfortable for the youngster, with the Courts out there already having ruled against deferment - "every male Singaporean must serve NS at the time he is required to under the Enlistment Act, without regard to his personal convenience and considerations”.

 

I read something about this the other day - can't remember where, sorry, but it was a reputable news site not a soccer gossip page - which gave the impression that if he gets jailtime, he can buy his way out of it. I suspect that the club may well already be involved behind the scenes and (hopefully) will be willing to pay the Singapore legal system off. Even so, it must be a worrying time for the lad.