Former Lions coach Barry Whitbread dies aged 77

SINGAPORE – Barry Whitbread was not just a coach who led the Lions to their first major international trophy, he was like a father figure to many of the Singapore footballers he worked with and a leader who left “an indelible mark on Singapore football”.

Former Lions skipper Aide Iskandar, who played under the Englishman in the 1990s, told The Sunday Times: “As a young player entering the national team in my early 20s, he told me not to be afraid to do the right thing, or to make mistakes as long as I learn from them.”

On Sept 9, Whitbread died aged 77. He is survived by his wife, son, two daughters, and six grandchildren.

His son Zak, who lived in Singapore with Whitbread in the 1990s, said in an interview: “It’s a very tough time for the family, but we take huge amounts of comfort and pride from all the incredible comments and messages we have received from the many people that have been positively impacted through crossing paths with my dad.

“I know my dad held his time in Singapore with the team and the people there with the fondest of memories.

“The respect he had for the players and staff went beyond the football pitch. He truly cared for them all as human beings and really enjoyed going back for the reunion to see them all progressing and thriving beyond football.

“We often spoke about his time there and it was always talked about with such pride. As a family, they were some of the best days of our lives with an incredible country and people. It’s a part of our fabric forever.”

Whitbread first arrived here in 1992 as a consultant of Bobby Charlton Management, which was engaged by Football Association of Singapore (FAS) Premier League side Tyrwhitt Soccerites to upgrade the club.

Two years later, he was appointed Singapore’s assistant technical director. He then took over from Douglas Moore as technical director and national coach in 1995. He led the Lions until 1998, when he delivered unprecedented Tiger Cup success before stepping down.

Whitbread then had stints as Liverpool Youth Academy’s head of recruitment till 2007, Manchester City’s recruitment manager and Blackburn Rovers’ chief scout.

Noting that Whitbread had left “an indelible mark on Singapore football”, the FAS said in a statement: “His contribution to the game and to Singapore football will always be remembered and cherished.”

R. Sasikumar, Singapore’s match winner in the 1998 Tiger Cup final, wistfully shared a story of his former coach’s humour.

Whitbread had made the 1.93m former international defender the focus of set-piece practices in training with no success in actual matches.

Sasikumar finally scored his only international goal in the final, with his shoulder off Kadir Yahaya’s cross after a corner was not cleared far enough. This prompted Whitbread to say that he “should have planned for you to score from the second phase of play rather than from set-plays”.

Sasikumar added: “For a lot of the younger players trying to get in the national team, he gave us belief even before we believed in ourselves. He changed my life completely and he will always have a special place in my heart and in the history of Singapore football.”

Whitbread was also dedicated, demanding and detailed when he needed to be.

Aide recounted: “One of the most memorable experiences was when he trained us at an open field in front of our hotel in Perth in a pre-season tour in 1997. He didn’t want us to lose a day without training.

“He walked us through the tactical drills and made us do relay runs, after which most of us vomited. But those runs made us fitter as a team, and they eventually paid off when we won Singapore’s maiden international trophy at the 1998 Tiger Cup.”

Whitbread returned to Singapore for a final time in 2018 when the FAS organised a reunion for the history-making team.

However, in his latter years, he had dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and was reported missing from his home in the county of Cheshire in England in 2022, before he was found safe.