The root cause of having to rely on foreigners

Who is to blame for the dearth of local talent

Are naturalised players a short-term fix?

The strategy behind signing Japanese players

Getting players with Singaporean heritage in

Find out why the local talent pipeline has failed for now.

Synopsis: Every fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times dives into a sports topic and tackles the hard questions with its guests on Hard Tackle.

In the first episode of a brand new spin-off series called Hard Tackle, ST Sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan is joined by former Singapore national team centreback R Sasikumar and Singapore football commentator Zia-ul Raushan to debate the ever controversial topic of whether Singapore football needs foreign talents. 

On Feb 25, the Young Lions get their 2023 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season underway against defending champions Albirex Niigata and for the first time since 2016, the Young Lions will have foreign players in the squad with the addition of Japanese defender Jun Kobayashi and midfielder Kan Kobayashi.

With the Football Association of Singapore looking to revisit the Foreign Talent Scheme, we ask if it’s really what Singapore football needs to fix the larger picture.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:50 The root cause of having to rely on foreigners 

5:20 Who is to blame for the dearth of local talent; does Singapore football need foreign talent?

8:30 Is using naturalised players just a short-term fix?

19:00 The strategy behind Young Lions signing Japanese players for the 2023 SPL season

25:30 Is there a way we can get players with Singaporean heritage to play for the national team? 

Read more: https://str.sg/wvu6

Produced by: Deepanraj Ganesan (gdeepan@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis & Eden Soh

Edited by: Eden Soh

Follow ST Sports Talk Podcast channel here and rate us:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWRE

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRa

Spotify: https://str.sg/JW6N

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/JX88

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Follow Deepanraj Ganesan on Twitter: https://str.sg/wtra

Read Deepan's articles: https://www.straitstimes.com/authors/deepanraj-ganesan

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

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Special edition series:

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#sportstalk

Find out why the local talent pipeline has failed for now.
Synopsis: Every fourth Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times dives into a sports topic and tackles the hard questions with its guests on Hard Tackle.
In the first episode of a brand new spin-off series called Hard Tackle, ST Sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan is joined by former Singapore national team centreback R Sasikumar and Singapore football commentator Zia-ul Raushan to debate the ever controversial topic of whether Singapore football needs foreign talents. 
On Feb 25, the Young Lions get their 2023 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season underway against defending champions Albirex Niigata and for the first time since 2016, the Young Lions will have foreign players in the squad with the addition of Japanese defender Jun Kobayashi and midfielder Kan Kobayashi.
With the Football Association of Singapore looking to revisit the Foreign Talent Scheme, we ask if it’s really what Singapore football needs to fix the larger picture.
Highlights (click/tap above):
1:50 The root cause of having to rely on foreigners 
5:20 Who is to blame for the dearth of local talent; does Singapore football need foreign talent?
8:30 Is using naturalised players just a short-term fix?
19:00 The strategy behind Young Lions signing Japanese players for the 2023 SPL season
25:30 Is there a way we can get players with Singaporean heritage to play for the national team? 
Read more: <a href="https://str.sg/wvu6">https://str.sg/wvu6</a>
Produced by: Deepanraj Ganesan (<a href="mailto:gdeepan@sph.com.sg">gdeepan@sph.com.sg</a>), Ernest Luis &amp; Eden Soh
Edited by: Eden Soh
Follow ST Sports Talk Podcast channel here and rate us:
Channel:<a href="https://str.sg/JWRE"> https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/JWRa"> https://str.sg/JWRa</a>
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/JW6N"> https://str.sg/JW6N</a>
Google Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/JX88"> https://str.sg/JX88</a> 
SPH Awedio app:<a href="https://www.awedio.sg/"> https://www.awedio.sg/</a>
Website:<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts"> http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
Follow Deepanraj Ganesan on Twitter: <a href="https://str.sg/wtra">https://str.sg/wtra</a>
Read Deepan's articles: <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/authors/deepanraj-ganesan">https://www.straitstimes.com/authors/deepanraj-ganesan</a>
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Discover more ST podcast channels:
In Your Opinion: <a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt">https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Asian Insider: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Health Check: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaN">https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Green Pulse: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaf">https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Your Money &amp; Career: <a href="https://str.sg/wB2m">https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
ST Sports Talk: <a href="https://str.sg/JWRE">https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
#PopVultures: <a href="https://str.sg/JWad">https://str.sg/JWad</a>
Music Lab: <a href="https://str.sg/w9TX">https://str.sg/w9TX</a>
Discover ST Podcasts: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Discover BT Podcasts: <a href="https://bt.sg/pcPL">https://bt.sg/pcPL</a>
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Special edition series:
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2">https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Invisible Asia (9 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZn">https://str.sg/wuZn</a>
Stop Scams (10 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZB">https://str.sg/wuZB</a>
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuJa">https://str.sg/wuJa</a>
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Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#sportstalk

Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month. 

Podcaster: Deepanraj Ganesan

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis & The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second Wednesday of the month. 
Podcaster: Deepanraj Ganesan
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis &amp; The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

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