Unleash The Roar! scholarship recipients Natasha Naszri and Chloe Koh wiser after stints abroad

SINGAPORE – On the first day of their stints abroad while on Unleash the Roar! (UTR) scholarships, Singapore’s Natasha Naszri, 16, and Chloe Koh, 17, were dealt a reality check.

The duo, who each have two senior caps, were taken aback by the standards required of them in training.

A year on, the teenagers believe that they have improved tremendously and hope to add to the national women’s football team, who face Macau in a friendly at the Jalan Besar Stadium on July 16.

Natasha, who joined the ESC LaLiga academy in Spain, was hit by fatigue after her maiden session.

“After my first training, I was really tired because the intensity was very high,” the midfielder said. “It really affected me, I was like ‘oh wow’, the level’s so different.”

Chloe enrolled in the IMG Academy in the United States along with four other players, of which one – Kyra Taylor – is also in the Lionesses’ squad. Two others, Ardhra Ganeswaran and Irsalina Irwan, are out with injuries.

Chloe, who plays as a striker, recalled: “After my first day in pre-season, I told myself I wouldn’t want to come back tomorrow. But I ended up going every day for the rest of the year.

“When you train with the elite team, you’re like, ‘woah these guys are my age and they’re up here’, and I want to be like them so that really pushes and inspires me.”

The pair brought up several differences between training in Singapore and overseas. Natasha explained: “Tactically and technically, they are on a completely different level and they’re also faster.”

And they admit the lessons they learnt have been invaluable.

Chloe revealed: “I didn’t think it was going to be as challenging as it was, but through these challenges I learnt a lot. I learnt how to step out of my comfort zone, how to play in different positions and I come up against players who are faster and stronger than me every day. That has really helped me.”

Natasha highlighted her passing and work rate as areas she has improved on, adding: “Learning in one of the top football countries is a blessing.

“The impact this stint has made on me is really big, and playing with quality players really helped me.”

Under the UTR overseas scholarship, recipients will spend up to three years at either the IMG Academy in Florida or the ESC LaLiga academy in Madrid.

The scholarship will fully cover key expenses, which include their football programme, tuition, accommodation fees and insurance.

Giving a peek into life away from home, they shared that they train six times a week on average, and study high school subjects such as English, mathematics and science.

They admitted that there were times they missed their loved ones, but homesickness is curbed with a phone call or text message.

The duo are back in Singapore for a break, with Chloe returning to the US in August while Natasha will play for Deloitte Women’s Premier League champions Lion City Sailors until September.

With the 138th-ranked Lionesses’ match against world No. 174 Macau coming up, they want to contribute to the team in their own ways.

“We want to bring our experiences from overseas, and how (they’ve) made us stronger,” said Chloe.

Lionesses coach Karim Bencherifa said he has been keeping tabs on the UTR scholarship recipients, adding: “We have a system where I can watch their games frequently, and we get the coaches’ feedback in the technical (areas) such as their fitness.”

The Moroccan also flew to the US in April and talked to them about the team’s playing system and tactics.

“The fact that this game is at home, we have more chances to have all the players and I’m happy with the progress,” said Bencherifa, who is pleased to have his best players, including Borussia Dortmund’s Danelle Tan, available against Macau.