Coach Noh Rahman leaves BG Tampines Rovers, SPL club hunts for 3rd coach this season

SINGAPORE – Change is afoot at BG Tampines Rovers yet again, after the club announced on Feb 14 that they have agreed to part ways with head coach Noh Rahman after a string of poor results on the regional stage.

The Stags posted the news on social media hours ahead of their 2-1 Singapore Premier League (SPL) win over Albirex Niigata at Our Tampines Hub.

Assistant coach Robert Eziakor has taken over in the interim, and the club are expected to reveal their new head coach at a later date.

Former Selangor coach Katsuhito Kinoshi has been linked to the team.

The 61-year-old, who was previously the Serbia national team’s assistant coach, was spotted in the stands at a recent Stags game.

In their statement, Tampines thanked Noh for his “professionalism, dedication and valuable contributions” to the club.

Club chairman Shungo Sakamoto said: “After a series of open and professional discussions regarding the team’s direction for both the remainder of the current season and the upcoming season, both parties mutually agreed that this was the appropriate time to move in new directions that would allow each side to plan effectively for the upcoming period.

“This was a thoughtful and forward-looking decision made with mutual respect that ensures stability for the club and flexibility for Noh Rahman’s future opportunities.”

When contacted, Noh told The Sunday Times: “The club and myself had a very open conversation and we decided that both parties mutually agreed that this was the appropriate time to move in new directions.

“But looking back from September when I was first appointed, it was definitely a journey.”

ST also contacted a number of Tampines players, who declined to comment.

He is the second SPL coaching exit in eight days, with leaders Lion City Sailors parting ways with Aleksandar Rankovic on Feb 6.

The two sides, who are both unbeaten in the league, will meet in a top-of-the-table clash at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Feb 22.

The Stags are second in the eight-team SPL with 23 points, four behind the Sailors, after the 2-1 win over third-placed Albirex (19) on Feb 14, courtesy of Hide Higashikawa’s first-half brace.

Noh, who was previously Tampines’ assistant coach and head of youth development, was appointed in September to replace Akbar Nawas.

After just 83 days in charge, Akbar left for SPL side Hougang United to become their technical director.

The 45-year-old guided Tampines to the AFC Champions League Two (ACL2) knockout phase, going unbeaten in the group stage with five wins and a draw.

But the team have suffered a poor string of results since – they finished fifth out of six in Group A of the Asean Club Championship (ACC) after being hammered 6-1 by Vietnam’s Cong An Ha Noi.

They then suffered a 4-0 defeat by the same opponents in the first leg of their ACL2 last-16 tie.

Under Noh’s charge, the club also lost to the Sailors in the Singapore Cup on Jan 10 after a substitution gaffe forced them to forfeit the final.

Tampines had failed to maintain the minimum four Singaporean players on the pitch and breached competition rules – for which he accepted responsibility as an “honest mistake”.

The club also went through several changes, as Desmond Ong stepped down as chairman in May for Sakamoto.

They then brought in Japan’s Asian Cup-winning striker Tadanari Lee as their vice-chairman and sporting director in December.

Said Noh: “Together with the rest of the staff and players, we can be proud with what we achieved especially in the (AFC) Champions League.

“I can safely say that we have left the club in a good place where we are still in strong contention for the league. I’ll be hoping the club can finish the season strong.”