Late bloomer Naqiuddin Eunos stakes his claim in the Lions squad

YOKOHAMA – At the end of the 15-minute interview at the team hotel, beads of perspiration were streaming down Naqiuddin Eunos’ forehead, prompting some teasing from his Lions teammates.

“Nervous ah, first time doing an interview,” said the 27-year-old, who laughed as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

He was speaking to The Sunday Times ahead of Singapore’s football friendly against J1 League side and Asian Football Confederation Champions League finalists Yokohama F. Marinos on Oct 14.

Unlike many of his national teammates, the Geylang International winger has not been in the limelight, but that looks set to change after a productive season on the pitch.

After signing for the Eagles from Tanjong Pagar, Naqiuddin has contributed five goals and four assists in 16 games in 2024, which is one goal more than in his 82 matches for the Young Lions, Jaguars and Lion City Sailors in the six preceding seasons. His performance has led to a national call-up from Tsutomu Ogura.

Returning to an attacking position with a top-scoring club has helped. He said: “I started out as a winger, but played as a wing-back at the Sailors, so my focus was more on the defensive side which was good for me to learn.

“Playing as a winger again this year, my objective is more to score or assist, so I try to rediscover my attacking instincts through putting in additional work on my crossing and finishing after training to make sure I can use it during matches, and it has been working.”

The value of hard work was ingrained in Naqiuddin in his early teens when his father suddenly lost his job. But the latter found ways to put food on the table for his family of five, a tight-knit unit who also bond through their support for Manchester United.

He started playing organised football when he was 12, when his dad took him to a community club for training sessions every Sunday.

A late bloomer by his own admission, he found joy in scampering down the flanks with his natural stamina, which he still does today.

While he played for the Woodlands Wellington Under-16s, Balestier Khalsa Under-17s and Under-18s, he almost became a lost talent after opting out of the Centres of Excellence to focus on playing for ITE College West when he was 18.

Despite “not having proper foundation”, he was scouted by then Football Association of Singapore head coach of youth Fandi Ahmad to play for the national Under-20s in 2017, and the Young Lions in 2018.

Thus began his professional football career and he moved on to the Sailors, with whom he won the Singapore Premier League in 2021. He showed promise as then Sailors coach Aurelio Vidmar identified him as a player with the potential to play overseas.

Even though he moved to strugglers Tanjong Pagar United for the 2023 season, Naqiuddin’s abilities were affirmed by then national coach Takayuki Nishigaya, who handed him his national debut and another cap that year.

Geylang coach Noor Ali told ST he sees a diamond in the rough in Naqiuddin, sharing that the winger covers about an average of 10km per match, behind only imports Takahiro Tezuka and Vincent Bezecourt, who average around 11km per game.

He said: “He is a nice, humble guy who has the attributes of a good winger – he is pacy, has good stamina, and is good at taking the man on.

“Distance covered is important, but also not if you just run and do nothing. We spoke a lot about decision and positioning and how to make use of his energy and mileage to contribute more assists and goals and not fade in the last 15 minutes of the game.

“His positive attitude and willingness to learn have shown results, and I believe he can improve further with individual coaching and be an asset to the national team if he can be unpredictable (with his runs) but still deliver consistently good performances.”

Ogura has also been impressed enough to call up Naqiuddin, and while he prefers not to comment on individual players, he cited Blackburn Rovers striker Yuki Ohashi as an example of how in-form footballers must be considered for the national team regardless of age.

The unheralded Japanese made a surprise move to the English Championship side, scored five goals in 10 games, and earned a first national call-up at age 28.

Naqiuddin knows time is not on his side and wants to make the rest of his career count. Much like how he switched from a Hyundai Avante to a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X and Volkswagen Golf R Mk 7 to satisfy his need for speed, now is the time to switch gears and make his opponents sweat.

He said: “I know I can bring something exciting to the team with my energy, my stamina, and now goals and assists.

“I want to make these few years memorable, earn as many caps as possible, and contribute as much as I can to my country and club. I want people to recognise me, and to make my family proud.”