Motivated by his trainees, Balestier Khalsa’s Ignatius Ang sets career-best goal tally

SINGAPORE – In preparation for his post-playing career, Balestier Khalsa’s Ignatius Ang attained a coaching licence and a property agent’s licence in 2024.

Little did he know that being a coach would play a part in him enjoying a renaissance as a player – so much so that the 32-year-old is having second thoughts about hanging up his boots at the end of the season.

In the 2024-25 campaign, Ang has scored a career-high tally of eight goals, which surpasses the winger’s previous best of four goals during the 2018 season with Warriors FC.

Ang, whose Asian Football Confederation B coaching certificate allows him to train teams at the elite youth level here, is a part-time coach at the Junior National Development Centre under the Unleash the Roar! project.

He also coaches at Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School and the ActiveSG Football Academy’s Bendemeer centre.

Being a mentor to junior athletes has given him added impetus to set a good example as a player, which has translated into eight goals and four assists in 20 matches for the Tigers across the Singapore Premier League (SPL) and Singapore Cup this season.

“One of the biggest reasons why I try to push myself and play to my best abilities is because the kids are always watching me,” said Ang, who will be looking to add to his tally in the SPL encounter against table-toppers Lion City Sailors at Bishan Stadium on Feb 23 (6pm).

“Every time I go for coaching sessions, they will talk to me about my last game which they watched and they will tell me, ‘Coach, can you please score in the next game’... It also reminds me that I am a role model to them, I want to try to inspire them when I get time on the pitch.”

As an added treat, he would even perform goal celebrations as requested by his trainees. Ang said: “For example, they told me to do the ‘Griddy’ (dance move) one week, and another TikTok dance another week and that motivates me to score so that I can do it and they can watch it on YouTube.”

His impressive numbers this campaign has also made him reconsider his decision to call time on a career that started with the Young Lions in 2010 and has seen him play for the Warriors, Tanjong Pagar United and Hougang United.

Some fans even feel that he should be rewarded with a maiden national call-up.

“This is the closest I have come to smelling it. I do hope the call will come, but I try not to think too much about it. I just want to focus on my own performance at club level and help the team finish the season strongly,” Ang said.

Balestier coach Peter de Roo believes there is more to come from the winger.

“Iggy fits in the way we want to play, and he plays his part for us in the attacking areas but he can improve his concentration. We want him focused for 90 minutes and that is something we must expect from all our players,” said de Roo.  

After 22 matches, Balestier are fourth, level on points with Albirex Niigata but ahead on goal difference in the nine-team SPL table.

With only one win in their last four league matches, de Roo has urged his side to be more clinical.

He said: “At the moment, it is not the opponent who is the biggest threat. It’s ourselves. We have been dominating games against the top teams, created more opportunities, but have not won the game. We need to fix that.”

This will be the Sailors’ third match in eight days after defeating Tanjong Pagar 4-1 in the Singapore Cup on Feb 16 and thrashing Muangthong United 4-0 in the Asian Champions League Two last 16, second leg on Feb 20.

Sailors coach Aleksandar Rankovic said that they will need to assess who would be available but hinted that there may not be too many changes.

The Serb said: “Look at the big teams like Real Madrid, they’re playing with 12 to 13 players, so they don’t also rotate a lot.

“For us, winning the championship is a No. 1 priority, so we are going to try to put out the best possible team.”

Tanjong Pagar United v Albirex Niigata (Feb 21, 7.45pm, Jurong East Stadium)

Tanjong Pagar will be looking to improve their head-to-head record against Albirex, who have won five of the last six matches against the Jaguars.

Hougang United v Young Lions (Feb 22, 6pm, Jalan Besar Stadium)

Interim coach Robert Eziakor has won three out of three matches in charge of Hougang and will fancy his chances of maintaining his 100 per cent record when they face the Young Lions, who have lost their last two games.

BG Tampines Rovers v Brunei DPMM (Feb 23, 6pm, Jalan Besar Stadium)

Tampines will look to kill the game off this time after letting a win slip from their hands during their last meeting with DPMM on Feb 1, when they conceded in injury time for a 1-1 draw in a Singapore Cup tie.