He earned the necessary certification to lead a professional local club six years ago. But the opportunity never came for Khidhir Khamis, until now.
The 33-year-old will take the reins of Balestier Khalsa for the upcoming Singapore Premier League (SPL) season, after Tigers coach Marko Kraljevic left two weeks ago to coach Malaysia Premier League side Kelantan.
This makes him the youngest Singaporean head coach appointment in the 24 years of the SPL and its predecessor, the S-League which started in 1996.
Five-time champions Tampines Rovers had announced in December that they intended to appoint Gavin Lee, 28, as head coach once he gains his 'A' licence, which he will attempt to earn this year. Until then, he cannot hold the title.
The youngest local before Khidhir was Shasi Kumar, who was a year older when he led Woodlands Wellington in 2010.
Khidhir, who previously coached age-group teams at Tanjong Pagar United and Geylang International - where he also had a stint as head of their youth programme - until 2013, is relishing the opportunity to return to elite football coaching.
He had applied for several posts but "the doors just did not open", said the Victoria School alumnus, who had been coaching at schools and private academies.
He is now relishing starting on "something new and exciting" with Balestier.
Khidhir received his Asian Football Confederation 'A' Licence - which is mandatory for locals to take charge of SPL clubs - in 2013 at the age of 27. At the time, he was said to be the youngest Asean coach to hold the standard.
Balestier chairman S. Thavaneson said that eight candidates had applied for the role, half of whom were foreigners. But he had no qualms picking a local rookie to replace Kraljevic, who had been the Tigers' coach since 2014, and led the club to a first Singapore Cup that year before being named the S-League's Coach of the Year.
"Our local coaches, I think, have over the years stepped up and been able to hold their own in the SPL," said Thavaneson, who is also one of four vice-presidents in the Football Association of Singapore.
"I think more young local coaches will make the grade, provided they are given that opportunity.
"We, the management of local clubs, must have that... trust in local coaches and help them develop. Because helping them develop helps develop Singapore football too."
Khidhir knows his age will raise eyebrows. After all, he is only a year older than Balestier's oldest player, goalkeeper and captain Zaiful Nizam.
RESPECT IS KEY
It's about how you manage the players. I've made it clear that... (they should) not cross the line between player and coach, even though we are about the same age.
KHIDHIR KHAMIS, Balestier Khalsa's 33-year-old coach, on the small age "gap" between him and his players.
"It's about how you manage the players," said Khidhir, with a cool smile. "I've made it clear that... (they should) not cross the line between player and coach, even though we are about the same age.
"And I think they are professional enough to manage and handle themselves in that sense."
Khidhir, who visited the famed French training centre Clairefontaine at his own expense in 2013, plans to leverage on technology for a "more visual" approach to transferring knowledge to players. He is also exploring the feasibility of filming training sessions.
With "nothing to lose" in his first major coaching stint, he is keen to build on the work Kraljevic had done - Balestier finished sixth in the nine-team SPL last season - and try get the Tigers playing a more expansive game, although he was not ready to make any predictions yet.
Borrowing Nelson Mandela's famous quote, Khidhir said: "As far as I see it, we'll go into matches and we're either going to win, or learn."
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Youngest local SPL Coach, 33, unfazed He earned the necessary certification to lead a professional local club six years ago. But the opportunity never came for Khidhir Khamis, until now.
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