2001/02 Asian Club Championship & 2001/02 Asian Cup Winners' Cup

In 2001, the Protectors, in just their second Asian campaign, outdid what their uniformed rival, the Warriors, had long been unable to achieve by reaching the quarter-final of the Asian Cup Winners' Cup.

Instead of emulating what the Protectors did, the Warriors continued - what is now a common sight - where instead of covering themselves in glory, the Warriors were humiliated on their way out of Asia as they were trounced by Thailand Champion BEC Tero Sasana in the first round of the Asian Club Championship.

It was not just the defeat in the first round that hurt the most but the way the Warriors fell to the Thai Champion BEC Tero Sasana. After already falling to Tero Sasana 0-3 in the first leg in Thailand, the Warriors could have restored some dignity by putting up a tough fight in the return leg in Singapore but the Warriors were torn apart 1-5 in another disappointing display on home soil.

That meant overall the Warriors had lost the tie with an aggregate score of 1-8.

Quite frankly, the Warriors have played in five straight Asian Club competition either in the Asian Club Championship or the Asian Cup Winners' Cup so they must be considered the best equipped Singapore club to deal with Asian opponent and they cannot continued to dish out the excuse they are not ready to face Thais clubs especially when the Protectors, with less experience, show that Thai clubs, while strong, are not unbeatable.

Therefore it is a wonder why the four-time Champions have not showed the same desire to win in Asia as in the S-league.

One can only guess it is because the club have given up on Asia for it is unable to conquer it and if that is true then one can only be disappointed with the attitudes of what can be considered the greatest S-league club as it is not showing the way forward for Singapore football.

Fortunately the same thinking is not evidenced in the other uniformed team, Home United.

The Protectors, in only their second Asian campaign, certainly showed more desire and steel to achieve remarkable progress in the Asian Cup Winners' Cup.

The Protectors having received a bye in the first round met Thai side Royal Thai Air Force in the second round and at this point, every time a Singapore club meets a Thai club, the ending was to be disappointing for the Singapore side and it seem that way when the Protectors lost the first leg 0-1 in Bangkok, Thailand.

With no Singapore clubs having ever defeated any Thai clubs before, the omens were not good for the Protectors.

However in a night to remember for S-league football, the Protectors whacked the Thai FA Cup holder 5-0 in Bishan in the return leg in an amazing display of attacking football.

The hero of the night was Brazilian import Peres De Oliveria, as apart from hitting a hat-trick, he created havoc throughout the match for the Thai defence. To round things off, he had even scored with one of his special fee-kick on the night. It was indeed a memorable night for Singapore football for all those who witness it.

It was the type of performance one would have expected to acknowledge from the Protectors uniformed rival, SAFFC, but the Protectors had the greater desire and steel to achieve more in Asia than SAFFC.

The Protectors now having reached the quarter-final of the Asian Cup Winners' Cup, a first for Singapore clubs, was drawn against Chinese side Chongqing Longxin and at this point, they would fall yet again to a Chinese club like they did last year.

The Protectors suffered a double 2-0 defeat at China and Singapore against the Chinese side.

Still it was an improvement for the Protectors in Asia and at a time when the other uniformed team the Warriors continued to falter, the Protectors certainly kept the Singapore flag flying.

Without a doubt, the 2001 Asian campaign belong to the Protectors alone as they have shown the way forwards for S-league clubs. With a first leg defeat against the Thai Royal Thai Air Force, the Protectors could easily have crumbled like the Warriors in their Asian campaign but they never did. Instead they rewarded the fans who bother to turn out a great football display on their home soil and showing Thai clubs are not undefeatable and with the right desire, S-league clubs can matched them.

Therefore, one must now wonder if the Warriors can really be trusted to bring the best of Singapore football beyond the Republic shore.

The Warriors are the most experienced S-league team in Asia compared to any of the side but in term of learning, it is them who have much to learn from their uniformed rival, the Protectors.

Singapore representatives

2001/02 Asian Club Championship

Stage	Home Team			Away Team	Date
First Round, First leg	BEC Tero Sasana (Thailand)	3	0	SAFFC	-
First Round, Second leg	SAFFC	1	5	BEC Tero Sasana (Thailand)	-

2001/02 Asian Cup Winners' Cup

Stage	Home Team			Away Team	Date
Second Round, First leg	Royal Thai Air Force (Thailand)	1	0	Home United	-
Second Round, Second leg	Home United	5	0	Royal Thai Air Force (Thailand)	-
Quarter-final, First leg	Chongqing Longxin (China)	2	0	Home United	-
Quarter-final, Second leg	Home United	0	2	Chongqing Longxin (China)	-