Ahmad Latiff Khamaruddin
Encyclopedia
Ahmad Latiff Khamaruddin (born 29 May 1979) is a professional soccer player who plays for the Tampines Rovers in the S.League
and the Singapore national football team
.
Once touted as a successor to golden boy Fandi Ahmad
, he can play as an attacking midfielder or striker with talented playmaking skills. However, due to his consistent bad disciplinary track record for the national team and the club sides, he is deemed as 'bad boy' for Singapore football. He has been given nicknames such as "the bad boy of Singapore football," obviously for his disciplinary problems on and off the pitch, and also "the blond bombshell," in reference to his bleached blond hair.
) in 1996, before moving to Geylang United FC
the following year. In 1998, his sparkling performances led Singapore to win the Tiger Cup
, the nation's first international trophy, despite getting sent off in the final win against Vietnam.
His flamboyant performances caught the eyes of many top football coaches in Asia, who were confident that he would be the next big thing in Asian football. However, his disciplinary problems had got the better of him and he has failed to live up to the high expectations set for him.
In 1999, he moved to SAFFC where he helped the club win the S-League title in the following season. In 2001, he made his first career move abroad to Indonesia
before coming back to SAFFC in 2002, where he played as a playmaker instead of being a striker in which he led the team to a runaway S-League title win.
In 2004, he once again moved to Woodlands Wellington FC
but his form dipped considerably from his days in SAFFC.
Eventually in 2006, he made his move abroad once again to Johor FA
, the Malaysian state playing in the Malaysian Premier League
, where he played well for the side alongside with fellow national skipper Aide Iskandar
. After the Malaysian football season ended, he made a loan move with Aide Iskandar
to Tampines Rovers FC
for the rest of S-League season.
Prior to the start of the 2007 S-League season, Latiff returned to his former club, Woodlands Wellington FC
. He was appointed as club captain by manager Jorg Steinbrunner, and led Woodlands Wellington FC
to their first piece of silverware in their history, which is the Singtel League Cup, a preseason tournament.
On 2 July 2008, Ahmad Latiff made his debut for Singapore Armed Forces FC in the S.League
. It will be his third spell at the club after previously playing for the Warriors in 1999 and 2002.
Latiff has made very important contributions to SAFFC in his third spell, scoring into the roof of the net against PSMS Medan
in the qualifying round to send the Warriors into the AFC Champions League
group stages for the very first time.
He also netted a splendid volley against Shanghai Shenhua
in the fifth game of the competition's group stages, helping his team win a historic first ever point in the AFC Champions League
.
against Lebanon
on 24 May 1997.
In 1998, his sparkling performances led Singapore
to win the Tiger Cup
, the nation's first international trophy, despite getting sent off in the final win against Vietnam.
He had been in the Singapore
inconsistently after the 1998 Tiger Cup
win due to his poor disciplinary track record. He was recalled to the Singapore
in 2006 after his good performances for Johor FA
but he may face the axe once again after committing some disciplinary offences during the Singapore
away trip to United Arab Emirates
for the Asian Cup qualifying match against Iraq
.
S.League
The S.League is the top men's professional association football league in Singapore. The league was launched in 1996 and currently involves 12 clubs.-History:...
and the Singapore national football team
Singapore national football team
The Singapore national football team is the national association football team of Singapore. The team comes under the organization of the Football Association of Singapore...
.
Once touted as a successor to golden boy Fandi Ahmad
Fandi Ahmad
Fandi bin Ahmad is a football coach and former professional footballer from Singapore. During his playing career, he enjoyed success playing in both Europe and Asia, and was captain of the Singapore national football team...
, he can play as an attacking midfielder or striker with talented playmaking skills. However, due to his consistent bad disciplinary track record for the national team and the club sides, he is deemed as 'bad boy' for Singapore football. He has been given nicknames such as "the bad boy of Singapore football," obviously for his disciplinary problems on and off the pitch, and also "the blond bombshell," in reference to his bleached blond hair.
Club career
He started his career at Singapore Police FC (now Home United FCHome United FC
Home United Football Club is a professional soccer club which plays in Singapore's S.League.-History:The Police Sports Association was founded in the mid-1940s to organise football activities for the Singapore Police Force. They sent two teams to compete in the Singapore Amateur Football...
) in 1996, before moving to Geylang United FC
Geylang United FC
Geylang United Football Club is a professional football club from Singapore, currently playing in the S.League. The club is based in Bedok and their home ground is Bedok Stadium. Their mascot is an eagle, and hence the team is also known as "the Eagles"....
the following year. In 1998, his sparkling performances led Singapore to win the Tiger Cup
Tiger Cup
The ASEAN Football Championship , is a biennial international association football competition organized by the ASEAN Football Federation , contested by the national teams of Southeast Asia...
, the nation's first international trophy, despite getting sent off in the final win against Vietnam.
His flamboyant performances caught the eyes of many top football coaches in Asia, who were confident that he would be the next big thing in Asian football. However, his disciplinary problems had got the better of him and he has failed to live up to the high expectations set for him.
In 1999, he moved to SAFFC where he helped the club win the S-League title in the following season. In 2001, he made his first career move abroad to Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
before coming back to SAFFC in 2002, where he played as a playmaker instead of being a striker in which he led the team to a runaway S-League title win.
In 2004, he once again moved to Woodlands Wellington FC
Woodlands Wellington FC
Woodlands Wellington Football Club is a professional football club that plays in Singapore's professional football league, the S.League.The team's home ground is the Woodlands Stadium, which is at the northern part of Singapore...
but his form dipped considerably from his days in SAFFC.
Eventually in 2006, he made his move abroad once again to Johor FA
Johor FA
The Football Association of Johor enters a team in Malaysian football competitions to represent the state of Johor. The team currently plays in the Malaysia Premier League.The team won the Malaysia Cup in 1985 and 1991, and the Malaysian League in 1991....
, the Malaysian state playing in the Malaysian Premier League
Malaysian Premier League
Malaysia Premier League is the second-tier football league in Malaysia. The league is currently named Astro Premier League Malaysia...
, where he played well for the side alongside with fellow national skipper Aide Iskandar
Aide Iskandar
Aide Iskandar is a professional soccer player who plays for Sengkang Punggol and was once the captain of the Singapore national football team, which he led to consecutive Tiger Cup wins in 2005 and 2007...
. After the Malaysian football season ended, he made a loan move with Aide Iskandar
Aide Iskandar
Aide Iskandar is a professional soccer player who plays for Sengkang Punggol and was once the captain of the Singapore national football team, which he led to consecutive Tiger Cup wins in 2005 and 2007...
to Tampines Rovers FC
Tampines Rovers FC
Tampines Rovers Football Club are a professional association football club based in Tampines, Singapore, that play in the S.League. Founded in 1945, they have won the national league championship five times, the Singapore Cup thrice and the ASEAN Club Championship once...
for the rest of S-League season.
Prior to the start of the 2007 S-League season, Latiff returned to his former club, Woodlands Wellington FC
Woodlands Wellington FC
Woodlands Wellington Football Club is a professional football club that plays in Singapore's professional football league, the S.League.The team's home ground is the Woodlands Stadium, which is at the northern part of Singapore...
. He was appointed as club captain by manager Jorg Steinbrunner, and led Woodlands Wellington FC
Woodlands Wellington FC
Woodlands Wellington Football Club is a professional football club that plays in Singapore's professional football league, the S.League.The team's home ground is the Woodlands Stadium, which is at the northern part of Singapore...
to their first piece of silverware in their history, which is the Singtel League Cup, a preseason tournament.
On 2 July 2008, Ahmad Latiff made his debut for Singapore Armed Forces FC in the S.League
S.League
The S.League is the top men's professional association football league in Singapore. The league was launched in 1996 and currently involves 12 clubs.-History:...
. It will be his third spell at the club after previously playing for the Warriors in 1999 and 2002.
Latiff has made very important contributions to SAFFC in his third spell, scoring into the roof of the net against PSMS Medan
PSMS Medan
Persatuan Sepakbola Medan dan Sekitarnya , commonly referred to as PSMS Medan or simply as PSMS, are an Indonesian football club based in Medan, Indonesia. They are one of Indonesia's most successful clubs. PSMS Medan were founded on April 21, 1950...
in the qualifying round to send the Warriors into the AFC Champions League
AFC Champions League
The AFC Champions League is the premier Asian club football competition hosted annually by Asian Football Confederation . The tournament is contested among the top thirty-two clubs from the top 10 Asian leagues, two of which must qualify through the playoffs...
group stages for the very first time.
He also netted a splendid volley against Shanghai Shenhua
Shanghai Shenhua
Shanghai Shenhua is a professional Chinese football club currently playing in Chinese Super League. The club is currently owned by Zhu Jun , Shanghai SVA Group, SMEG and Huangpu Investment Ltd. . The current head coach is Dražen Besek...
in the fifth game of the competition's group stages, helping his team win a historic first ever point in the AFC Champions League
AFC Champions League
The AFC Champions League is the premier Asian club football competition hosted annually by Asian Football Confederation . The tournament is contested among the top thirty-two clubs from the top 10 Asian leagues, two of which must qualify through the playoffs...
.
International career
He made his debut of the SingaporeSingapore national football team
The Singapore national football team is the national association football team of Singapore. The team comes under the organization of the Football Association of Singapore...
against Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
on 24 May 1997.
In 1998, his sparkling performances led Singapore
Singapore national football team
The Singapore national football team is the national association football team of Singapore. The team comes under the organization of the Football Association of Singapore...
to win the Tiger Cup
Tiger Cup
The ASEAN Football Championship , is a biennial international association football competition organized by the ASEAN Football Federation , contested by the national teams of Southeast Asia...
, the nation's first international trophy, despite getting sent off in the final win against Vietnam.
He had been in the Singapore
Singapore national football team
The Singapore national football team is the national association football team of Singapore. The team comes under the organization of the Football Association of Singapore...
inconsistently after the 1998 Tiger Cup
1998 Tiger Cup
The 1998 tournament was held in Vietnam. Group A's matches were played in Ho Chi Minh City with Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Philippines. Group B's matches were played in Hanoi with Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Laos.-Controversy:...
win due to his poor disciplinary track record. He was recalled to the Singapore
Singapore national football team
The Singapore national football team is the national association football team of Singapore. The team comes under the organization of the Football Association of Singapore...
in 2006 after his good performances for Johor FA
Johor FA
The Football Association of Johor enters a team in Malaysian football competitions to represent the state of Johor. The team currently plays in the Malaysia Premier League.The team won the Malaysia Cup in 1985 and 1991, and the Malaysian League in 1991....
but he may face the axe once again after committing some disciplinary offences during the Singapore
Singapore national football team
The Singapore national football team is the national association football team of Singapore. The team comes under the organization of the Football Association of Singapore...
away trip to United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
for the Asian Cup qualifying match against Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.
External links
- http://www.sleague.com/Web/Main.aspx?ID=,68e68380-9e0b-44b2-8a32-d06df7470ca6&NLT=300&AID=6f93923b-07f8-408d-83cf-39a155c6a819
- http://data2.7m.cn/Player_Data/48136/en/index.shtml
- http://www.fas.org.sg/default.asp?V_DOC_ID=1303#2
- http://www.soccerway.com/players/ahmad-latiff/68251/
- http://www.safwarriors.com.sg/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=301:player-profile-ahmad-latiff&catid=8:club-happenings&Itemid=25
- http://www.safwarriors.com.sg/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=321:warriors-make-it-a-nite-of-great-fun&catid=8:club-happenings&Itemid=25