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Passing 'Okada Method' knowledge to young talents from football academies in Singapore
Mitsubishi Electric introduces Japanese-style football training in Singapore, guided by the methods of the coach who led Japan to its first World Cup finals
The ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ 2024 football clinic took place at Bedok Stadium in Singapore to support the development of young players and coaches in Singapore.
Young players from the Albirex Singapore Football Academy took part, gaining insights into this structured method, which emphasises both strategic movement and mental sharpness. Sasikumar Darsith, a participant from the academy, expressed his thoughts on the experience, saying, “I was nervous before the clinic because normally I don’t play that well. But after the clinic, I see some improvements in myself. With the way I defend, I can now strike better. I’m very happy.”
The event, intended as a skills-building opportunity, was led by Dobashi Isao, head of youth coaching at FC Imabari, a J3 League team in Japan. Isao introduced attendees to the “Okada Method,” a training approach devised by Takeshi Okada, a prominent former coach of Japan’s national team who famously led the Samurai Blue to their first World Cup in 1998.
The clinic also drew key figures of Singapore football, including Indra Sahdan, S. Subramani, and Fahrudin Mustafic. Mustafic, currently an assistant coach at Tampines Rovers, shared his reflections on the day: “It’s an amazing thing. We’re all here for one thing, and that’s football. Mitsubishi Electric helped unite us and provided a great experience for the kids to train under foreign coaches. Overall, it was a good experience for everyone.”
He added, “I think this is how you start. From small clinics, you grow to bigger ones. The main idea is to engage the kids through football, and step by step, we can grow into bigger and greater things. You can see most of them have decent touches, but the most important thing today is that they enjoyed themselves, had fun training under foreign coaches, and experienced something different.”
This clinic is part of the broader ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ 2024, set to begin on December 8, 2024, and run until January 5, 2025. As Southeast Asia’s highly anticipated tournament approaches, these initiatives are seen as steps towards strengthening ties between Japanese and Singapore football communities, and fostering talent for the future.
