FAS appoints Lion City Sailors' sporting director as new general secretary
Badri Ghent succeeds Chew Chun-Liang, who has stepped down with immediate effect after about 10 months in the role. The move comes as the FAS continues its search for a Lions coach.
Badri Ghent has been appointed as FAS' new general secretary. (Photo: Football Association of Singapore)
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
SINGAPORE: Lion City Sailors' sporting director Badri Ghent has been appointed as the new general secretary of the Football Association of Singapore (FAS).
He succeeds Chew Chun-Liang, who has stepped down from the role with immediate effect, said FAS on Monday (Sep 1).
Chew was in the position for about 10 months, and leaves amid FAS' continuing search for a head coach for the Lions. No reason for Chew's departure was given in a statement on the FAS website.
FAS said that Ghent "brings with him a wealth of experience in football management and operations".
As sporting director since the Singapore Premier League club's inception in 2020, Ghent oversaw Lion City Sailors winning multiple domestic titles, including the Singapore Premier League, the Singapore Cup and the Singapore Community Shield.
Under Ghent's leadership, the team reached the final of the AFC Champions League Two, the first team from Singapore to have done so.
"Additionally, he was instrumental in recruiting quality coaching staff and establishing the professional standards that have made the Sailors a benchmark for excellence in local football," said FAS.
In his previous role, Ghent became the youngest general manager in Singapore Premier League history when he was appointed at Home United in 2017. He had previously served as the club's team manager since 2014.
"His early leadership set a precedent in the league and reflected his forward-thinking approach and commitment to developing local football," said FAS.
"At Home United, he laid the groundwork for high-performance culture and professional club operations that would later flourish further under his stewardship at Lion City Sailors FC."
FAS President Forrest Li said: “Badri has been involved in Singapore football for more than a decade and has a deep understanding of our local football ecosystem. His experience - from management roles at Home United to his leadership at Lion City Sailors - reflects his ability to raise standards and build strong structures.
"We are confident that his leadership as general secretary will help us drive forward the council’s priorities, strengthen the national team, and elevate Singapore football in the years ahead.”
Li thanked Chew for his efforts in the role.
"On behalf of the council, I want to thank Chun-Liang for his service and dedication. His professionalism and steady leadership provided stability and strengthened our administration during an important period.
"He has always carried himself with humility and commitment, and we wish him every success in his future endeavours.”
Ghent assumes the role as the Lions search for a new head coach, following Tsutomu Ogura's resignation on Jun 24.
The team is set to play two preparation matches against Malaysia and Myanmar in September, before facing India in a double-header for the Asian Cup Qualifiers in October.
