Former Lion Kadir Yahaya returns as Unleash the Roar’s director of football

SINGAPORE – One of the most respected voices in the fraternity, Kadir Yahaya is known for his honest criticism of Singapore football.

This week, the former Lions defender stepped up to put his words into action and help move the sport forward.

Kadir, 57, has been appointed as director of football at Unleash The Roar! (UTR) in what is his first direct involvement in a national level role since 2015, when he was part of the Singapore Under-23 coaching staff at the SEA Games.

Launched in 2021,

UTR is a national project led by Sport Singapore (SportSG) and the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) to improve local football with various long-term initiatives.

As UTR’s director of football, Kadir will oversee youth development initiatives, which include the Junior National Development Centre (JNDC) and the National Development Centre (NDC).

He will also work closely with academies and local clubs to put in place player development strategies for youth players.

In an interview with The Sunday Times at the Kallang Football Hub (KFH) on March 5, Kadir said a “sense of duty” led him to return from Thailand, where he had been

head of youth at Thai League 1 club BG Pathum United

since 2022.

In January 2024, he took to social media to air his concerns about Singapore football and urged for more attention to be paid to issues like coaching appointments and league management.

He also highlighted other issues plaguing the game in interviews with local media.

Kadir, who was a key part of Singapore’s 1994 successful Malaysia Cup and League team and 1998 Asean Championship-winning side, said: “I think this is the right time for me to return.

“I’ve been quite critical when I look at the results in Singapore football. But I have been a player and coach here... and I feel a sense of duty. (I felt) something is not right.”

Even when he was in Thailand, Kadir’s “soft spot” for Singapore football had him exploring initiatives that could impact Singapore football, which led to Singapore Premier League (SPL) outfit Tampines Rovers’ three-year collaboration with BG Pathum inked in 2023.

In 2024, a memorandum of understanding was signed between SportSG, FAS and BG Sports, the company which owns Pathum.

It was during Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong’s visit to the BG Pathum facilities in Thailand in early 2024 that a return to Singapore football was first mooted.

When asked what convinced him to return, Kadir pointed to the facilities now in place – the KFH, which consists of four full-sized pitches and three futsal courts, a high performance indoor gym and the foundations set up such as the Singapore Youth League, the School Football Academy programme, the NDC and JNDC.

There is also a desire to see results improve.

“Despite us having all the facilities and the support, the results are not coming,” said Kadir.

“So we need to look at various things and see what we need to address.

“Let’s have honest conversations. Why are we like this? What can we do (better)?” said Kadir, who added that some of the initiatives he will look at include having youth teams play more regular matches against regional teams.

With over 20 years of experience as a coach in both youth and senior football, Kadir is held in high regard, especially for leading the bronze-winning Cubs at the 2010 Youth OIympic Games.

He also had an eventful 10-year spell in charge of St Joseph’s Institution’s (SJI) footballers, where he coached the A, B and C Division teams from 2012 and led the school to several zonal titles while unearthing players like Jacob Mahler, who has since donned national colours.

Marcus Tan, SportSG’s chief of sport development group, who oversees UTR, said in a press statement on March 8: “Kadir’s passion for the game and his proven track record in developing young players make him a valuable asset to UTR.

“We believe his leadership will be instrumental in shaping the future of Singapore football.”

Laughing off suggestions of being a “saviour”, Kadir stressed that youth development and improving the fortunes of local football is not something UTR and he can do alone.

He urged stakeholders such as local clubs, schools and academies to work together with him, while also calling on kids to dream big in pursuing their goals in football.

He added: “I want to make UTR as a platform for the kids. Every kid must dream big... and the important message is that if you have any dreams or desire to become a (professional) player, there is a platform now.”

Meanwhile, UTR also announced a newly formed technical advisory committee (TAC) made up of experienced football administrators and technical experts to provide technical expertise for the project.

BG Tampines Rovers chairman and FAS council member Desmond Ong will serve as TAC chairman.

The other members of the committee include national head coach Tsutomu Ogura, national assistant coach and BG Tampines head coach Gavin Lee, and Aide Iskandar, a former national captain and former coach of the national U-23 team.