BG Tampines Rovers’ Irfan Najeeb makes his comeback greater than setback

SINGAPORE – Since June 2023, Irfan Najeeb had not played for the national team. The BG Tampines Rovers defender, whose last international call-up came four months later, even found himself playing against the Lions in a friendly on Sept 6, 2024.

Worse, he sprained his right ankle in the 3-0 loss, and looked set to extend his international exile.

Through sheer grit, though, the 25-year-old not only worked his way back after a six-week layoff, but his composure and reading of the game also caught the eye of Lions coach Tsutomu Ogura, who included him in his recent 26-man squad.

On Nov 18, Irfan came on as a 60th-minute substitute in the friendly against Chinese Taipei for only his fourth cap, and made an impact with his first international goal via a sweeping right boot in the 3-2 defeat at the National Stadium.

Ahead of Tampines’ Singapore Premier League (SPL) match against bottom side Tanjong Pagar United at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Nov 22, he told The Straits Times: “Whenever I don’t get selected for the national team, I will feel disappointed.

“But I also have to recognise I have weaknesses to work on, and I try to focus on improving, rather than who the coach picks.

“But to be called up again was an emotional moment for me. I really pushed through pain to play again because I know this was the last window to audition for the AFF Championship squad. To come on and score was a bonus because I didn’t expect that.”

While his primary task is to stop opposing attackers, he has also shown a knack for scoring.

With four goals – all headers from set pieces – in 16 SPL matches, the 1.78m player is having his most prolific season as he learns from observing another goalscoring defender, national teammate Safuwan Baharudin.

With a shy smile, he said: “Slowly, the confidence and the hunger to score are increasing. Maybe people are going to mark me tighter, but I’m ready for the challenge.”

Since he started kicking a ball about at age seven and idolising his uncle, former Lions skipper and three-time AFF Championship winner Shahril Ishak, Irfan has had to overcome obstacles.

Rejected by Home United at Under-14 level before he was given a chance by Gombak United, he eventually joined the Protectors before being selected by the now-defunct National Football Academy when he was 16.

He made his SPL debut with Tampines in 2018, starting out as a centre-back alongside luminaries Daniel Bennett and Mustafic Fahrudin, and then adapted well as a right-back while playing for the Young Lions in 2019 and 2020, when he was in national service.

Said Stags coach Gavin Lee: “Irfan is a very good example of making your comeback bigger than your setback. He had quite a few difficult patches to find the level of performances he desired, but he always found a way to fight back.

“Some people have the misconception that talent equates to just ability with the ball. But there are also abilities to take the next action, suppress discomfort, focus on the task, block out criticism, which Irfan possesses.”

Back on the pitch, Irfan aims to earn a spot in Ogura’s squad for the Dec 8-Jan 5 AFF Championship to cap a big year, in which he also recorded his 100th league appearance and 100th match for Tampines.

But, he knows that to do so, he has to be consistent in the SPL, as his club look to extend their run of two wins to offset a six-game winless streak that cost them 14 points.

As long as they avoid defeat by the Jaguars, the Stags will leapfrog league leaders Lion City Sailors, who are not in action this week. Both sides are on 39 points, with the Sailors having two games in hand.

Said Irfan: “As defenders, we help relieve the pressure by not conceding, and under Gavin, we are also very important in building from the back, so I’m looking to continue to improve and build on my performances. As a team, we need to show the blip was a one-off, that we can learn from it and go on a winning streak.”

Young Lions v Albirex, Nov 23, 6pm

Both sides are looking for a quick rebound after losing their last match. The Young Lions beat the champions at Jalan Besar in June before Albirex returned the favour at Jurong East in August. Albirex’s Shingo Nakano, 19, scored in both matches and will be looking to extend a five-game scoring run to add to his tally of 17 league goals.

Hougang v Geylang, Nov 24, 6pm

The Cheetahs lost 6-2 to the Eagles in June, and were struggling when they surprised with a 1-0 win at Jalan Besar two months later. But Geylang are the in-form team with four wins in their last five matches, and will need to keep it going if they are to maintain their outside challenge for the league title.