Written by: Zack Rahim

DPMM recently introduced its players and coaching staff for the 2014 season to a multitude of fans, just three days after a player and sponsor signing ceremony, at the half-day DPMM Football Fanfare on Sunday.

The highlight, though, was the Under-12 mini-football tournament which attracted 21 teams – a record for the event.

DPMM coach Steve Kean spent time watching the kids play and said he was keeping an eye out for certain qualities.

“I’m looking for kids that have good balance, play with their heads up, and if they can play with both feet, even better,” said Kean, a former academy director at Fulham and Reading.

“But at this age they should be looking to get more time on the ball and enjoy football.

“There’s this rule that you need to have 10,000 hours of experience in the sport to be an expert – so the younger you start, the faster you can get to that elite level.

“Playing football at a young age teaches the kids things like discipline, teamwork, fitness… And even if they don’t become footballers, those are all things they can use later in life,” he added.

At the event, S.League CEO Lim Chin was also in attendance, and he paid tribute to Singapore and Brunei’s strong ties in football and predicted another interesting season for DPMM as Brunei’s only professional club prepares to embark on their fourth Great Eastern Yeo’s S.League campaign.

“Our two countries, Brunei and Singapore, have a truly special and close relationship. This relationship extends to all areas, and football is one of them,” Lim said.

“With your support and through football, we have brought our two countries and our people even closer. The S-League is today more exciting and more competitive because of the participation of DPMM.

Mr Lim also believed DPMM will be one of the contenders for the title, after observing that the club had a strong record playing at home, though last year’s results – where the club lost four home game en-route to finishing eighth in the S.League – was hardly title-contending form.

After an unbeaten home run in their first season in 2009, DPMM lost their first ever S.League home game in their second season when they fell 2-1 to Warriors  on 23 June 2012.

“DPMM did well in the S-League last season and the club certainly created a lot of excitement and increased the competition in the league.

“Many of the other clubs always feared playing at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium and this season it will be no different,” he said in a speech, adding that he was sure the club would be “chasing for top honours this season in the S-League.”