Ikhsan needs time to hone skills

Hopes have been pinned on Ikhsan Fandi as a potential football star in the making.

But one bicycle-kick goal does not make a footballer a star overnight, with foreign clubs queueing to sign him up.

It is still early days before Ikhsan hits the big time (Promising future but Ikhsan needs to move abroad; Nov 30).

He has the makings of a great striker given his physique, grit and skills - qualities that most great strikers possess.

But he still lacks the canny positional play to elude opponents, place himself in spaces for a strike at goal, or barrel through with dribbles past defence and shoot powerfully at goal.

His goal scoring with the Lions team reportedly has not been as prolific as one would expect from a good striker.

Hopefully, such praises from pundits that he should advance his career in foreign shores now do not lull him into complacency.

Star-like quality he has, undoubtedly.

George Pasqual

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 03, 2018, with the headline Ikhsan needs time to hone skills. Subscribe