SINGAPORE – Having spent the last three years of her football career abroad, Singapore defender Siti Rosnani Azman believes her experiences in Australia and Japan have developed her both on and off the pitch.

The 26-year-old specifically recalls receiving terms of encouragement such as “nice pass” and “nice header” from her teammates while playing in Japan.

The positive affirmation boosted her confidence.

The higher level of competition has also moulded her into a better player, prompting Singapore women’s football coach Karim Bencherifa to name her as captain since the Cambodia SEA Games in May.

Rosnani said playing in Japan brought her out of her comfort zone as she had to pick up the native language.

“Because as a centre-back I need to command play at times and know what to say to my teammates,” she added ahead of Singapore’s friendly against Pakistan at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Tuesday.

“Communication was very important, so I took online lessons on my own and watched a lot of anime.”

She admitted to not being a fan of Japanese animated shows before joining top-tier side International Athletic Club (INAC) Kobe Leonessa in 2021, but grew fond of them when she realised they helped her understand the language better.

She added: “I will try to finish a movie every day and write specific phrases down, then paste them on the wall so that I can see.

“When you’re alone, you tend to discover more about yourself. Anime was actually quite fun to watch and until now I’m still watching.”

Rosnani appeared most recently for Japanese third-tier club Kibi International University Charme.

She had become only the second Lioness to play professionally after joining INAC Kobe from Australian semi-professional club South West Queensland Thunder.

She returned to Singapore at the start of 2023 and signed for Hougang United in the Deloitte Women’s Premier League.

“I was growing homesick and it has been difficult mentally to stay abroad,” she said. “It has been great to come back and play with familiar faces including my friends.”

But she added that she is coming back to “recharge and go again”, with European trials lined up later in 2023.

Bencherifa’s decision to keep Rosnani as skipper came after regulars such as Ernie Sulastri, 34, and Stephanie Dominguez, 25, were not called up, along with 18-year-old Danelle Tan, whose debut season with Borussia Dortmund kicks off in August.

The Moroccan, who took charge in February, said: “There are many good youngsters out there who need exposure and experience in international matches like this.

“This match is a chance for us to see where the newer players are because we have a big pool (of players) for selection.”

Younger players who have been named include Adrianna Hazeri and Sarah Zu’risqha, who were part of Singapore’s squad at the recent AFF Under-19 Women’s Championship.

On Rosnani, he added: “Her experience and expertise make her a respected figure among her teammates, and she leads by example through her work ethic and dedication.”

Bencherifa wants to use Tuesday’s friendly against Pakistan, ranked 26 places below Singapore at No. 157, as preparation for both the Sept 23-Oct 8 Hangzhou Asian Games and the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand.

He is working on strengthening the players’ mentality, saying: “I want them to know there is a difference between playing not to lose and playing to win.

“Football requires positive aggression and the players must be ready mentally for physical battles.

“But I’m very happy with their progress. They’re committed to training, and we’re getting the best out of them.”