Hanafiah and Nurjannah appointed to spearhead women’s charge in WPL

Newly-appointed coach Mohamed Hanafiah Al-Sofli and manager Nurjannah Jamalludin are relishing the challenge of leading the newly-formed Geylang International women’s side in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) this season.

For Hanafiah, it will be his first time managing a women’s squad in the top-flight competition but is unfazed by it.

He is determined to justify Geylang International’s faith in him by helping the debutants to make their presence felt in the WPL.

“We’re setting up a new team. I’m very nervous obviously to go straight away into WPL with a team that is also new to each other,” said Hanafiah, who joined from Yale-NUS College, where he was the head coach of both the men’s and women’s teams.

“My first goal is to get the team to bond and make sure everyone enjoys and understands the philosophy that I have in the game.

“One thing that I believe in my coaching philosophy is to impart my knowledge and understanding of the game.

“I have done 11-a-side with schools but not with the women yet.

“So, I hope to make the most of this opportunity to learn from the players and at the same time the players can also share with me how we can progress as a team moving forward into the league.”

Being a former international and having captained Ang Mo Kio FC and Republic FC in the Women’s National League (WNL), Nurjannah believes she has what it takes to play a pivotal role in growing the new Geylang International women’s side.

“I have been coaching with Coach Hanafiah for the past 12 years and I am looking forward for this bigger project with him. As the team manager, I want to build a team capable of playing good football.

“The girls can come to me for anything, I’m ready to help them with whatever they need at all times.

“My style of management puts a lot of emphasis on two-way engagement. I’m always open to discussion because for me it’s crucial that we make a decision as a team and meet the same objective,” said Nurjannah.

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