Safuwan Baharudin grateful his football career is heading the right way again

SINGAPORE – Being able to put on a Singapore shirt again has extra significance for defender Safuwan Baharudin, who was a late inclusion in the Lions’ 26-man Asean Championship squad.

Even as he retains his fierce competitive spirit at 33 – having amassed 115 caps and 13 international goals – his perspective has changed after several head injuries put his football career on the line.

The Selangor defender first suffered a cerebral concussion after colliding with an opponent in a Malaysia Super League (MSL) match against PJ City in May 2021.

After more knocks on the head, including one against Sabah in June 2022, he was diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injury and was ruled out for the rest of that season and the 2022 Asean Championship, also known as the Asean Mitsubishi Electric Cup.

Although he recovered to play for Negeri Sembilan and rejoined Selangor in 2023, he was out of the national fold for 17 months as he could not get clearance from the Football Association of Singapore’s medical team.

The green light finally came following an observation period, allowing him to put on a Lions jersey again in November 2023 in a 5-0 World Cup qualifying loss to South Korea in Seoul.

While he declined to share the ill effects and inconvenience he went through, Safuwan told The Straits Times: “It’s something nobody wants to go through. Now, I’m grateful not just for being able to represent my country and club, but also for being able to live normally, see my sons grow up, take them to matches, and be a normal human being.

“I was close to hanging up my boots, but to turn things around positively is something I cherish because I’ve worked so hard for it in the past two years. I’ve changed certain routines, but I feel I’m at my best now.”

When Lions coach Tsutomu Ogura revealed his 30-man provisional squad that comprised only Singapore Premier League players – as overseas clubs are not obligated to release players for the biennial tournament – there were fears that they will struggle against regional rivals who have more depth and naturalised talent.

While he will not be able to call upon Thailand-based Fandi brothers Irfan, Ikhsan and Ilhan, and is without the injured Jacob Mahler, Ogura received a timely boost when Selangor allowed Safuwan to join the Lions following their Malaysia Cup elimination in the round of 16. He will report for national duty after their MSL match against Negeri Sembilan on Dec 9.

Ogura said: “Safuwan is a leader on the field and always wants to win for the team, which is why he takes the risk to push up to create problems for the opponents later in the match.

“He has a winning mentality and we are very happy and grateful that Selangor agreed to release him for this tournament.”

One of the best defenders Singapore has produced, Safuwan is a key contributor at both ends because of his impressive hang time and heading prowess, qualities that have been consistently displayed at the Asean Championship since he was first thrown into the deep end by former Lions coach Radojko Avramovic in 2010.

The regional event will always be special to him as he was part of the last championship-winning team in 2012, scored his first international hat-trick in the 2018 edition against Timor-Leste and collected his 100th cap in 2021 against the same opponents.

This made missing out on the 2022 edition even more painful, as he could only cheer the team on from the stands.

Safuwan, who scored twice in six appearances while on loan at A-League’s Melbourne City in 2015, said: “I’ve had so many achievements throughout this competition, which led to the chance to play in Malaysia and overseas for most of my career.

“I told the boys that the Asean Cup is probably the biggest title any Singaporean footballer can win. We may not be where we want to be as a footballing country at this point in time, but we want to prove something and try to achieve something as a group.

“We have a good blend of youth and experience and I still believe we have what it takes to get past the group stage, and also to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup.”

In an Asean Championship Group A match on Dec 8, holders Thailand opened their campaign with a 10-0 trouncing of Timor-Leste, with Ben Davis, who defaulted on his national service obligations in Singapore, among four players who netted a brace at the Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi.

Suphanat Mueanta, Seksan Ratree and Teerasak Poeiphimai also scored twice while Patrik Gustavsson and Nicholas Mickelson bagged a goal each. In the other match, Malaysia drew 2-2 with Cambodia, who will face the Lions at the National Stadium on Dec 11.