Football: LionsXII defender Shakir Hamzah vows to make good

Shakir Hamzah sees light at the end of this Awol episode. While acknowledging he is solely to blame and agreeing to accept any punishment the FAS hands out, he vows to prove he is good enough to play for Singapore. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN

By Fabius Chen

I was thinking only about football. Football, football, football.

Hours after his release from detention yesterday, LionsXII defender Shakir Hamzah opened up about the circumstances that led to his four-day sentence.

"I wanted to be with the team so much, I didn't think of anything else," he said. "It is all my fault and I am sorry."

With his head shaven like all national service (NS) detainees, the 20-year-old was contrite as he spoke to the media near his family home in Bishan last night.

Background story

DEBT OF GRATITUDE

I’m stunned the fans have shown support even though I created all these problems. I owe them, and my family, a lot.

– Shakir Hamzah

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CHANGING FOR THE BETTER

The only way that I can show I am a changed man is through my actions... I’ll accept whatever punishment they mete out.

– Shakir

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GIVE HIM A FINE

Youngsters make mistakes but he will have my full support to learn from that. He should be fined for what he did – that’s it.

– Bernd Stange, Singapore coach

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