At Tampines Rovers, we take pride in developing talent from within. We dare to put our faith in our own - those who have come from our ranks and are Stags through and through. We are never afraid to field young talents if they’re good enough.
Because if you’re good enough, you’re old enough.
We are thus thrilled to announce that One Of Our Own, Shah Shahiran, has signed a five-year contract with us.
While he may be currently serving his National Service, that has not deterred us from putting faith in him as an exceptional player. Shah’s five-year contract would begin in 2023, after he finishes his National Service obligations, and would see him as a Tampines Rovers player until December 2027.
Shah made his professional debut with the Stags in 2018 and has since become a pivotal figure in the heart of midfield. Operating in a double pivot role alongside Kyoga Nakamura for the past two seasons, he established himself as a tenacious midfielder that has demonstrated maturity far beyond his tender age.
Granted, this was certainly not an overnight success story. With the positive team culture backing him up, he buckled down, and worked hard to become the player that he is today and continues to push his limits to become better.
“Shah has grown and improved massively on the pitch,” mentions our Head Coach Gavin Lee. “Over the 3 years, he has improved from being a fringe player to becoming an important team member, even at the regional competitions. He has a big desire to win in everything he participates in and that is another key attribute that will be important for the club in the future.”
For Shah, the decision to commit to the club was far from difficult. “As a boyhood Tampines fan watching the likes of Mustafic Fahrudin and co, I can't express how honoured I am to sign this deal. It is truly a dream come true,” mentions the 22-year-old.
He adds, “Since joining the Stags, I have learnt a lot and have seen how the team has changed over the years. The club now has a good balance of younger and older players. Furthermore, over the years, the club has truly become one cohesive unit. The locker room has positive vibes and there are strong bonds between everyone in the club - players, staff, and management.”
After returning to the Stags, Shah has a few objectives in his sight. Top of that list, as you would have guessed it from the ever-competitive midfielder, is to win the Singapore Premier League with the team he calls home.
However, until his return, Shah knows that he cannot slacken off, and is doing his best whilst with the Young Lions, working hard during training and finding ways to progress his game further.
Shah explains, “Right now, I’m focused on doing my best at every opportunity presented to me - whether it be during training drills, or SPL matches with the Young Lions. Helping the Young Lions finish better than previous seasons is one goal I have right now. On top of that, I want to do well to earn a spot in the upcoming U-23 tournaments and give my all in these fixtures to help the team win. Getting my senior national team call-up and making my debut is also on top of my list of goals. Obviously, getting there is not going to be easy but I will be giving it my all to achieve my first senior cap!”
We look forward to welcoming Shah home as a Stag in 2023!