Roslan Sa’ad has only been in Tasmania for two years and his soccer coaching achievements are already spectacular.
He coached Northern Rangers to this year’s northern Premier League title and was in charge of the North when it beat the South 2-0 in this year’s one-off intrastate representative match.
Rangers lost 2-0 to Clarence United on Saturday in the final of the Milan Lakoselejc Memorial Trophy, but Sa’ad readily acknowledged that Clarence was the better team.
The 37-year-old physical education teacher student from Singapore, who holds the Asian Football Confederation ‘B’ licence, can gain revenge this coming Saturday when Rangers host Clarence in Launceston in the intrastate top-four series.
Sa’ad arrived in Launceston last year and will complete his third year of a human movement course at university shortly and then return to Singapore to teach and to coach soccer.
“I’m a teacher back home and I’ll continue in my job when I return,” said Sa’ad after Saturday’s final at KGV Park.
“I was a coach back home and, when I came here to study, I managed to get a position coaching Northern Rangers’ under-18s.
“Coaching is my passion.
“I injured my knee and so I can’t play, which means coaching is my only avenue in the game.”
Before coming to Tasmania, Sa’ad emailed clubs here, but only received three responses - from Kingborough Lions United, Launceston City and Northern Rangers.
“Kingborough was too far from Launceston and so out of the question, while City offered me their under-16s,” Sa’ad said.
“I attended Northern Rangers training and they offered me the under-18s, which I took because I like to develop players.
“After taking the under-18s last year, they offered me the senior job this year and I took it.”
Sa’ad described winning the club’s first-ever Premier League title at his first attempt as ‘awesome’.
“I’m just so happy that the club believed in me,” he said. “I was hesitant to take the job at first, but my wife told me to give it a try.
“The club finished second last year, so there was no other option but to aim for the championship.
“We had some players away and, with my family and study commitments, it was a challenge, but I think I made the right decision.
“I must thank all the Northern Rangers committee members as they never once questioned my judgement or ability.
“They always supported me and also provided me with an experienced assistant coach, Carlo Ecole, from Riverside Olympic.
“The only thing I did differently was impose discipline. I’m a PE teacher and control and discipline are fundamental.”
Tasmanian soccer will be the poorer for the departure of this genial and able coach in December.
2 comments:
Congratulations on Northern Rangers and Clarence successes recently.
Sorry with this comment not relating to Walter's article, but can anyone tell me why Hobart Zebras have forfeited their remaining Div 2 matches this season??
Perhaps a blogger from Juventus or someone from FFT may help, could it be all the postponements??
you'll be sorely missed Ros!
Congratulations on your achievements in such a short time here in Tassie! you deserve it.
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