New FAS general secretary Badri Ghent ready to take on challenge and ‘drive S’pore football forward’
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Badri Ghent believes success will come from building strong foundations, similar to what led to the Sailors’ success.
PHOTO: FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE
Follow topic:
- Badri Ghent, 36, appointed FAS general secretary, replacing Chew Chun Liang.
- He acknowledges the "mammoth task" to improve Singapore football's declining state, with the national team currently ranked 159th globally.
- Badri aims to replicate his success at Sailors by "building strong foundations" including infrastructure, talent nurturing and high-performance environment.
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SINGAPORE – The general secretary role may be the top position of the Football Association of Singapore’s (FAS) secretariat, but when Badri Ghent was first sounded out for the job, he admitted that there were some initial doubts before he eventually accepted it.
At 36, he felt that he was too young for a role that has often been taken on by experienced administrators. He also had “unfinished business” at Singapore Premier League club Lion City Sailors, where he was their sporting director.
But ultimately Badri decided to take on the challenge, with his appointment announced by FAS on Sept 1
This is seen as the first major hire by the new council led by FAS president and tech billionaire Forrest Li, who assumed office in April.
“Obviously, when FAS came calling, I was humbled that I would even be considered for the role,” Badri told The Straits Times.
“But the first feeling I felt was one of surprise given my age. Usually a general secretary is someone who’s a bit more senior. And I still feel that I have unfinished business at the Sailors, given the success we’ve had last season, both domestically and continentally.”
In the 2024-25 season, the Sailors won the domestic double
Just last week, the Sailors women’s team etched their name in the history books by becoming the first Singapore side to qualify for the AFC Women’s Champions League group stage
As he deliberated over the FAS job, the state of Singapore football also weighed heavily on his mind.
Once record champions in the region with four Asean titles and ranked in the world’s top 100, Singapore football has slipped into the doldrums in the last decade.
The men’s national team are languishing at 159th in the world rankings, behind regional rivals Thailand (102nd), Vietnam (113th), Indonesia (118th), Malaysia (125th) and the Philippines (145th).
The Lions have also seen frequent changes of head coaches. The FAS is on the hunt for its fourth Lions tamer in six years after Japanese tactician Tsutomu Ogura resigned in June
At the SEA Games, it has been 12 years since Singapore last reached the semi-finals. At the last edition, the Young Lions finished bottom of their group with one draw and three defeats, including a 7-0 mauling by Malaysia.
The men’s youth teams have also struggled, hampered by a limited talent pool. However, the Unleash the Roar! national football project was launched in 2021 with the aim of strengthening the pipeline and providing more playing opportunities.
Meanwhile, the women’s team are ranked 149th, above only Timor-Leste in the region and behind the likes of Cambodia (118th), Laos (113th), Indonesia (106th) and Malaysia (92nd).
Badri said: “I’m obviously aware of the mammoth task that lies ahead. In this role, I have to be the leader of an organisation that will be responsible for the development of football in Singapore.
“Football plays a really important role in Singapore, given its fellowship and attention, and I’m mindful that there’ll be a lot of scrutiny and particular attention paid into this role.”
Following a discussion with his wife – whom he credits for being a steadfast pillar of support throughout his career – he decided to take it up.
The couple have three sons – aged one, three and seven – and Badri noted that the older two burst into tears when he informed them that he was leaving the Sailors, as that was all that the kids have known.
His task now is to replicate the success with the Sailors at a national level, and it is a challenge that he has embraced.
“Ultimately, I want to be (part of) an organisation that will bring pride and joy back to Singapore football,” said Badri on why he took up the hot seat.
“What pushed it across was really that sense of duty and responsibility. It is not every day that you’re being given the responsibility to drive Singapore football forward.
“I take the challenge on with both hands, with both eyes open. I will do whatever I can to ensure that the FAS will be an organisation that the entire country can be proud of.”
A business management graduate from the University of Birmingham, Badri’s career began at national agency Sport Singapore in 2010 before he moved on to non-governmental organisation Singapore Environment Council and later on Home United – the previous iteration of the Sailors – in 2014.
He started off in Home’s business development team before becoming team manager, head of football and later on general manager. He continued as general manager when the Sailors were privatised in 2020 before being appointed as sporting director in 2022, spearheading the club’s sporting strategy and player recruitment processes, while overseeing the club’s broader direction.
Some of the notable milestones during his Sailors tenure included the opening of the country’s first integrated football training facility in 2022, which preceded the historic achievements by both their men’s and women’s teams.
Badri believes he can follow a similar blueprint that led to success at the club – by building on a solid base.
“My journey from Home (United) to Sailors has taught me that success will come from building strong foundations which includes developing infrastructure, nurturing talent and creating a high-performance environment,” he said.
