Fandi Ahmad

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Malay name Template:Infobox football biography

Fandi bin Ahmad Template:Post-nominals (born 29 May 1962) is a Singaporean professional football manager/head coach and former player.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During his professional career, he played mainly as a striker, but also occasionally as a midfielder. Along with the Singapore FA, he also played for Malaysia Cup state sides Kuala Lumpur FA and Pahang FA, and won titles with all three, including two doubles in 1992 and 1994, as well as the Golden Boot in 1988. Fandi also played for Indonesia's Niac Mitra, Netherlands' Groningen as well as local Singaporean clubs Geylang United and SAFFC.<ref group="foot">A club representing the Singapore Armed Forces. Formerly known as SAFFC, they were renamed to Warriors F.C. in 2013.</ref>

Internationally with the Singapore national team, Fandi earned 101 caps and scored 55 goals, a record he holds today, as well as winning three Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) silver medals while being captain from 1993 to 1997.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After his retirement, he began his managerial career in 2000 by helming his former playing club SAFFC, before moving on to Indonesia's Pelita Raya and Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim, while also serving as the assistant national coach on numerous occasions while and running his own Fandi Ahmad Academy.

Fandi has been described as a national legend for Singapore.<ref group="foot">Reliable sources have described Fandi as a "Singapore football legend",<ref name="faa">"Fandi Ahmad Academy hopes to send youth abroad to turn professional", Channel NewsAsia, 18 May 2011.</ref> "Singapore's favourite footballing son",<ref name="eyes">Wang Meng Meng, "Singapore soccer through Fandi's eyes", The New Paper, 24 January 2005.</ref> a "national football icon",<ref name="lions">Sanjay Nair, "Fandi unlikely to coach Singapore Lions", The Straits Times, 5 August 2011.</ref> "Singapore's most celebrated footballer",<ref name="nice">"Fandi is too nice for his own good", The Sunday Times, 12 November 2006.</ref> "the country's golden boy of football",<ref name="sacred">Jose Raymond, "A superstar's sacred ground", TODAY, 27 June 2007.</ref> "the most well known face of Singapore sport",<ref name="fame">Santokh Singh, "Ball starts rolling to honour 4 players", The Straits Times, 29 April 1999.</ref> "the best of his generation",<ref name="humble">Nick Edwards, "Top Singapore soccer star espouses humility", Reuters, 17 May 1998.</ref> "one of Singapore's greatest footballers ever" and "one of Asia's best players".<ref name="assist">G Sivakkumaran, "Fandi named as Sivaji's assistant", The Straits Times, 7 January 2003.</ref></ref> In 1995, he was awarded the Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (Public Service Medal) for his achievements, which included being the first Singaporean footballer to play in Europe, the first Singaporean millionaire sportsperson and the first Singaporean sportsperson to have a published biography. He has five children with his wife, South African model Wendy Jacobs, and his father is Ahmad Wartam, a former national goalkeeper. Fandi was ranked sixth in a list of Singapore's 50 Greatest Athletes of the Century by The Straits Times in 1999.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His children, most notably Ikhsan, Ilhan, Iryan, and Irfan, are also professional footballers.

Early lifeEdit

As a young child, Fandi was obsessed with football and spent much of his time kicking a ball. His family lived in a two-room public housing flat in Hougang.<ref name="sacred"/> His family was working class; Fandi had to sell nasi lemak to help support the family.<ref name="sacred"/><ref name="star">Murray Hiebert, "Singapore's soccer star takes a shine to business", Far Eastern Economic Review, 17 April 1997.</ref> Fandi's father, Ahmad Wartam, was then a goalkeeper for the national team in the 1960s.<ref name="mile">"Fandi Ahmad's milestones", The Sunday Times, 12 November 2006.</ref> Fandi started playing as a goalkeeper, but switched to a midfield position under the advice of his teacher when he studied at Yio Chu Kang Primary<ref>Yeo, pp. 9–16</ref>

When he was 12, his parents divorced, after which he lived in a kampong at Jalan Eunos with his father and paternal grandparents. At Serangoon Garden Secondary School,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Fandi played for the school football team, but neglected his studies and was held back a year. He then transferred to the Singapore Vocational Institute and obtained a National Trade Certificate 3. He played for Kaki Bukit SC in the amateur National Football League, where he was spotted by Singapore FA coach Sebastian Yap.<ref>Yeo, pp. 17–22</ref>

By the time he was 15, Fandi had become a regular for the Singapore national youth football team. In 1977, Fandi was a member of the Singapore under-17 national team that won the Lion City Cup youth tournament.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1978, he was a part of the team again and they retained the Lion City Cup.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In August that year, Fandi was called up for a senior national team squad for a training tour in Russia, becoming the youngest footballer to represent Singapore.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Club careerEdit

Singapore FA (1979–1983)Edit

File:Fandi Ahmad.jpg

Fandi in 2018

Fandi joined Singapore FA in 1979 and became a regular midfield player, scoring four goals in his first Malaysia Cup season. The retirement of Arshad Khamis and Dollah Kassim prompted Jita Singh, the new Singapore FA coach, to play Fandi as a striker. During the 1980 Malaysia Cup season, Fandi scored eight goals, including the winning goal in the final against Selangor FA.<ref name="debut">Yeo, pp. 23–27</ref> He enlisted for National Service in September 1980 and was given light duties, such as collecting the camp garbage, so he could continue playing for Singapore FA. In 1981, Fandi won the FAS Footballer of the Year award for helping Singapore FA reach the Malaysia Cup final.<ref name="mile" /> The following year, Singapore FA did not play in the Malaysia Cup for political reasons, and Fandi underwent a shoulder operation; he could not play football for six weeks and was discharged early from National Service.<ref>Yeo, pp. 31–34</ref>

Selangor FA invited Fandi to play for them against Argentine club Boca Juniors, which featured Diego Maradona, in a friendly game, in which Fandi scored the only goal for Selangor FA; the score was 2–1. Fandi was just 19 while serving national service at the time and after the match, Boca's chief coach Vladislao Cap said he was keen on signing the Singaporean, whom he described as "a superb striker who can fit into any team".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Fandi received offers from several Malaysia Cup teams: Indonesian side Niac Mitra, Swiss club Young Boys and Dutch side Ajax. It was Ajax he eventually chose, but after a three-week trial, Fandi rejected Ajax's three-year deal and with it, the opportunity to work with and be honed by the legendary Johan Cruyff and play up front with the likes of a young Marco van Basten and Jan Molby, whom he had been scouted along with but Fandi ended up signing a one-year contract with Niac Mitra instead earning S$75,000 annually, choosing to ply his trade nearer to home. Fandi is joined with compatriot, David Lee in Niac Mitra. Fandi helped them successfully defend their Galatama League title and was the third-highest scorer with 13 goals. In a friendly match between Niac Mitra and Arsenal, Fandi scored a goal in a 2–0 victory; however, he left Niac Mitra due to a sudden Galatama League ban on foreign players.<ref>Yeo, pp. 46–49</ref>

Overseas clubs (1983–1992)Edit

In 1983, Fandi moved to the Netherlands and signed a two-year contract with Groningen.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A thigh injury acquired in a friendly match kept him off the field for ten weeks, but in his first Eredivisie game he scored twice in a 2–0 victory over Go Ahead Eagles. On 19 October 1983, Fandi played in the first leg of a UEFA Cup second-round match against Italian side Internazionale, and scored the second goal in a 2–0 win with another goal came from Erwin Koeman, though in the second leg Groningen were defeated 1–5.<ref>Yeo, pp. 54–57</ref> The Inter team boasted a couple of legendary names such as Giuseppe Baresi, Giuseppe Bergomi, Alessandro Altobelli, Evaristo Beccalossi, Riccardo Ferri, Fulvio Collovati and goalkeeper, Walter Zenga. The Groningen fans voted Fandi the most popular player and the most skilful player that season; he scored 10 goals in 29 games to help the Dutch club rise from ninth to fifth place in the Eredivisie. As an April Fools' Day joke, The Straits Times published a front-page story claiming that Manchester United had signed on Fandi.<ref name="aprmercup">Yeo, pp. 58–61</ref> His second season was marred by a recurrence of his thigh injury and a dispute with his coach. He played only two full games that season and Groningen did not offer him a new contract.<ref>Yeo, pp. 64–67</ref> During his time in the Netherlands, Fandi scored 11 league goals in 36 league games for Groningen.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The next club that Fandi played for was Malaysia Cup side Kuala Lumpur FA, which in 1987 won its first Malaysia Cup title. It was Malaysia Cup champions again the following season; Fandi won the Golden Boot, having scored 21 goals.<ref>Yeo, pp. 82–86</ref> After a third season at Kuala Lumpur FA, they won a third consecutive Malaysia Cup.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Fandi then signed a two-year contract with Greek club OFI Crete in 1990. However, problems with his International Transfer Certificate prevented him from playing for Crete, so he left Greece after two months.<ref>Yeo, pp. 106–108</ref> Fandi then joined Pahang FA, where he reverted to playing mainly in midfield due to his advancing age.<ref>Peter Khoo, "Fandi hits full throttle in striker's role", The Straits Times, 16 December 1992.</ref> Fandi missed several months of games because of heel and thigh injuries, and scored three goals to help Pahang FA win the Malaysia Cup and Malaysian League Double in 1992.<ref>"Fading star Fandi up against rising star Farid", The Straits Times, 12 November 1992.</ref> That year, he became the first Singaporean sportsperson to have career earnings exceeding a million Singapore dollars (not adjusted for inflation).<ref name="sacred" />

National clubs (1993–1999)Edit

Fandi rejoined Singapore FA after it was relegated to the second tier of the Malaysian League. Singapore FA was promoted and reached the Malaysia Cup final in 1993, and finished the 1994 season as Malaysia Cup and Malaysian League champions. Fandi served as a captain and played in 39 of Singapore FA's 41 games in the double-winning season, subsequently becoming the top scorer with 26 goals and being voted Player of the Season;<ref>Peter Khoo, "The perfect end to Singapore's 14-year drought", The Sunday Times, 18 December 1994.</ref><ref name="popular">Peter Khoo, "Fandi the popular choice", The Straits Times, 20 December 1994.</ref> he was also awarded a state medal, the Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (Public Service Medal).<ref name="mile" />

In its inaugural S.League season in 1996, Fandi joined and captained Geylang United where he was the joint top scorer with 11 goals, including the equaliser that confirmed Geylang as league champions. The Asian Football Confederation declared him the Player of the Month of June 1996.<ref>Dan Guen Chin, "Fandi helps Geylang to inaugural title", The New Straits Times, 15 June 1996.</ref><ref>"Singapore's Fandi Ahmad is AFC's player of the month", Agence France-Presse, 3 July 1996.</ref> Geylang was given special dispensation to pay Fandi thrice the S.League salary cap.<ref name="star" />

Fandi playing career concluded with three seasons at SAFFC, during which they won two S.League titles and two Singapore Cups. Because of injuries, Fandi was limited to mainly short substitute appearances, but he continued to score crucial goals, notably two against Cambodian side Royal Dolphins in the Asian Club Championship, until his retirement in 1999.<ref>"No medal, but Fandi will still keep on kicking", The Straits Times, 12 October 1999.</ref><ref name="playcoach">Godfrey Robert, "I want to play", The Straits Times, 3 December 1999.</ref>

International careerEdit

From 1979 to 1997, Fandi made 101 appearances for the Singapore national football team,<ref group="foot">Football Association of Singapore records from this period were not accepted by FIFA, so Fandi is not listed in the FIFA Century Club.</ref> scored 55 goals and earned a place in the Asian Football Confederation Hall of Fame.<ref name="fame" /> He started as captain of the national youth team that won the Lion City Cup in 1976 and 1977,<ref name="sacred" /> then joined the senior national team on a tour of Russia, where he played in two friendly games and scored two goals in the second.<ref name="debut" /> His first senior cap came at 17 years, 3 months and 23 days, making him Singapore's youngest-ever full international, until his record was broken by Hariss Harun in 2007.<ref>Leonard Lim, "Lions off to winning start in Invitational opener", The Straits Times, 25 June 2007.</ref> However, in his first international competition, the 1979 SEA Games, Fandi did not score in four matches. He scored against India and North Korea in the Olympic Games qualifiers, but did not score in three FIFA World Cup qualifying matches. In the 1981 Ovaltine Cup, Fandi scored all Singapore goals in the 3–2 aggregate victory over Malaysia.<ref name="ajaxoval">Yeo, pp. 35–41</ref> Fandi scored a goal in a 1–2 loss to Thailand in the 1981 King's Cup and a hat-trick against the Philippines at the 1981 SEA Games. In 1992, Fandi scored twice against Nepal and once against Thailand in the King's Cup, then scored when Singapore beat Malaysia 3–1 in the Ovaltine Cup.<ref name="rsssf">Neil Morrison, "Fandi Ahmad – Century of International Appearances", Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation, 3 January 2012.</ref>

The following year, Fandi helped Singapore win the first of three SEA Games silver medals, with two goals in a 3–0 group stage win over Brunei and two against Malaysia in the semi-final. Despite suffering an ankle injury in the 1–2 final defeat by Thailand,<ref>Yeo, pp. 50–53</ref> he played in the 1983 Merlion Cup, and scored in a 1–0 semi-final win against of China.<ref name="aprmercup" /> The second SEA Games silver medal came in 1985, when Fandi scored against Malaysia and the Philippines in the group stage, then two goals against Brunei in the semi-final. At the 1989 SEA Games, Fandi scored in the 4–0 victory over Myanmar that took Singapore past the group stages, the last-minute winner in the semi-final against defending champions Indonesia and Singapore's single goal in the 1–3 final defeat by Malaysia. This completed the hat-trick of silver medals, though in 2007, he said that "not winning the SEA Games gold medal" was among "his biggest regrets".<ref name="sacred" /> Fandi also played at the 1990 Asian Games and scored in the 6–1 win against Pakistan.<ref name="rsssf" />

During the 1991 SEA Games, Fandi scored both Singapore goals against Myanmar in the group stage, but was substituted in the semi-final match, after Indonesian fullback Herry Setyawan elbowed him in the eye. That match ended goalless and the Lions lost on penalties.<ref>Peter Khoo, "Penalty shoot-out agony for Lions", The Straits Times, 3 December 1991.</ref> Fandi also missed Singapore's failed attempt to qualify for the 1992 Asian Cup, having sustained a heel injury.<ref>Joe Dorai, "Lions let down by strikers, lack of fitness", The Straits Times, 28 April 1992.</ref> At the 1993 SEA Games, captain Fandi scored a hat-trick in the 7–0 defeat of the Philippines, followed by the second Singapore goal in the 3–3 semi-final draw with Myanmar and scored once in the 3–1 win over Indonesia that secured a bronze medal for Singapore. Fandi also played in the inaugural Tiger Cup, and scored an equaliser against Malaysia, a goal against Brunei and two against the Philippines. 1997 was a disappointing year for Fandi, who failed to score in the Dunhill Cup and the World Cup qualifiers. After the 1997 SEA Games, where his goal in the semi-final could not prevent a 1–2 defeat to Indonesia, Fandi retired from international football.<ref name="rsssf" />

Career statisticsEdit

International goalsTemplate:Efn
No	Date	Venue	Opponent	Result	Competition
1	26 February 1980	Singapore	Template:Fb	1–0	1980 Olympic Games qualification
2	4 March 1980	Singapore	Template:Fb	3–1	1980 Olympic Games qualification
3	5 April 1981	Singapore	Template:Fb	1–1	1981 Ovaltine Cup
4	19 April 1981	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Template:Flagicon Malaysia	2–1	1981 Ovaltine Cup replay
5	19 April 1981	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Template:Flagicon Malaysia	2–1	1981 Ovaltine Cup replay
6	9 November 1981	Bangkok, Thailand	Template:Fb	1–2	1981 King's Cup
7	9 December 1981	Manila, Philippines	Template:Fb	4–0	1981 Southeast Asian Games
8	9 December 1981	Manila, Philippines	Template:Flagicon Philippines	4–0	1981 Southeast Asian Games
9	9 December 1981	Manila, Philippines	Template:Flagicon Philippines	4–0	1981 Southeast Asian Games
10	7 January 1982	Singapore	Template:Fb	2–0	Friendly
11	5 May 1982	Bangkok, Thailand	Template:Fb	2–0	1982 King's Cup
12	5 May 1982	Bangkok, Thailand	Template:Flagicon Nepal	2–0	1982 King's Cup
13	15 May 1982	Bangkok, Thailand	Template:Flagicon Thailand	2–2	1982 King's Cup
14	15 May 1982	Bangkok, Thailand	Template:Flagicon Thailand	2–2	1982 King's Cup
15	8 August 1982	Penang, Malaysia	Template:Flagicon India	3–0	1982 Merdeka Tournament
16	10 November 1982	Singapore	Template:Flagicon Malaysia	3–1	1982 Ovaltine Cup
17	28 May 1983	Singapore	Template:Flagicon Malaysia	2–1	1983 Southeast Asian Games
18	1 June 1983	Singapore	Template:Flagicon Philippines	5–0	1983 Southeast Asian Games
19	4 June 1983	Singapore	Template:Fb	4–0	1983 Southeast Asian Games
20	4 June 1983	Singapore	Template:Flagicon Brunei	4–0	1983 Southeast Asian Games
21	14 December 1983	Singapore	Template:Fb	1–0	1983 Merlion Cup
22	13 December 1985	Bangkok, Thailand	Template:Flagicon Brunei	3–0	1985 Southeast Asian Games
23	13 December 1985	Bangkok, Thailand	Template:Flagicon Brunei	3–0	1985 Southeast Asian Games
24	14 December 1985	Bangkok, Thailand	Template:Flagicon Malaysia	2–2	1985 Southeast Asian Games
25	14 December 1985	Bangkok, Thailand	Template:Flagicon Malaysia	2–2	1985 Southeast Asian Games
26	4 April 1987	Singapore	Template:Fb	2–0	1988 Olympic Games qualification
27	26 April 1987	Jakarta, Indonesia	Template:Flagicon Indonesia	1–2	1988 Olympic Games qualification
28	26 August 1989	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Template:Fb	4–0	1989 Southeast Asian Games
29	28 August 1989	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Template:Flagicon Indonesia	1–0	1989 Southeast Asian Games
30	31 August 1989	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Template:Flagicon Myanmar	1–3	1989 Southeast Asian Games
31	27 September 1990	Beijing, China	Template:Fb	6–1	1990 Asian Games
32	29 November 1991	Manila, Philippines	Template:Flagicon Myanmar	2–1	1991 Southeast Asian Games
33	29 November 1991	Manila, Philippines	Template:Flagicon Myanmar	2–1	1991 Southeast Asian Games
34	25 November 1992	Yangon, Myanmar	Template:Flagicon Myanmar	1–0	Friendly
35	8 December 1992	Singapore	Template:Flagicon Malaysia	3–0	1992 Merlion Cup
36	13 April 1993	Doha, Qatar	Template:Fb	3–2	1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
37	16 April 1993	Doha, Qatar	Template:Fb	1–4	1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
38	30 April 1993	Singapore	Template:Flagicon Qatar	1–0	1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
39	2 May 1993	Singapore	Template:Flagicon Indonesia	2–1	1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
40	9 June 1993	Singapore	Template:Flagicon Philippines	7–0	1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
41	9 June 1993	Singapore	Template:Flagicon Philippines	7–0	1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
42	9 June 1993	Singapore	Template:Flagicon Philippines	7–0	1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
43	17 June 1993	Singapore	Template:Flagicon Myanmar	3–3	1993 Southeast Asian Games
44	19 June 1993	Singapore	Template:Flagicon Indonesia	3–1	1993 Southeast Asian Games
45	17 July 1995	Singapore	Template:Flagicon Myanmar	3–3	1995 Tiger Beer Quadrangular
46	4 December 1995	Lamphun, Thailand	Template:Flagicon Brunei	2–2	1995 Southeast Asian Games
47	6 December 1995	Lamphun, Thailand	Template:Flagicon Myanmar	4–2	1995 Southeast Asian Games
48	6 December 1995	Lamphun, Thailand	Template:Flagicon Myanmar	4–2	1995 Southeast Asian Games
49	8 December 1995	Chiang Mai, Thailand	Template:Flagicon Philippines	4–0	1995 Southeast Asian Games
50	16 December 1995	Singapore	Template:Flagicon Myanmar	1–0	1995 Southeast Asian Games
51	1 September 1996	Singapore	Template:Flagicon Malaysia	1–1	1996 AFF Championship
52	4 September 1996	Singapore	Template:Flagicon Brunei	3–0	1996 AFF Championship
53	6 September 1996	Singapore	Template:Flagicon Philippines	3–0	1996 AFF Championship
54	6 September 1996	Singapore	Template:Flagicon Philippines	3–0	1996 AFF Championship
55	16 October 1997	Jakarta, Indonesia	Template:Flagicon Indonesia	1–2	1997 Southeast Asian Games

Template:Notelist

Managerial careerEdit

After his retirement from playing, Fandi worked as a coach. He started as the assistant to Singapore's national coach, Vincent Subramaniam, for the 1999 SEA Games, where Singapore finished fourth.<ref name="assist" /> In 2011, he founded the Fandi Ahmad Academy, which organises training programmes and overseas opportunities for talented young Singaporean footballers.<ref name="faa" /> Fandi is one of seven Singaporean coaches with a professional AFC coaching diploma and is widely considered a future coach of the Singapore national football team.<ref name="help" />

2000 to 2015Edit

File:Fandi Ahmad, LionsXII match against Kelantan FA during the Malaysian Super League, Jalan Besar Stadium, Singapore - 20140308.jpg

Fandi in 2014 as head coach of LionsXII

In 2000, Fandi became coach of SAFFC and guided them to the 2000 S.League title, and he won the S.League Coach of the Year Award.<ref>"Fandi wins Coach of the Year Award", Channel NewsAsia, 7 October 2000.</ref> Under Fandi, SAFFC ended the 2001 season without winning a trophy and the following year, were the 2002 S.League champions by a 20-point margin.<ref>Jeffrey Low, "You C, this is how the Warriors did it this year", The Sunday Times, 3 November 2002.</ref> Fandi then simultaneously served as assistant national coach,<ref name="assist" /> helping Singapore win the Tiger Cup in 2005.<ref name="eyes" /> In 2005, Fandi became the coach of Young Lions, which rose from the bottom of the S.League in 2003 to two third-place finishes in 2004 and 2006 which was their highest league placing in the club's history.<ref>Sharani Khamis, "This one's for you, Fandi", TODAY, 8 November 2006.</ref> From November 2006 to March 2010, Fandi managed Indonesian side Pelita Raya,<ref name="nice" /> where he adopted a youth policy that helped them win promotion from the second division,<ref name="help">David Lee, "Fandi's ready to help", The New Paper, 23 January 2011.</ref> then guided the club to two mid-table finishes in the Indonesia Super League.<ref>Wang Meng Meng, "Fandi back in Singapore to take care of wife", The Straits Times, 19 March 2010.</ref>

On 3 February 2012, Malaysian Super League side Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) owner, the Crown Prince of Johor, Tunku Ismail Idris approached Fandi, after the club's first year of rebranding the whole organisation structure and its footballing activities, to become the club's manager to which he accepted.<ref name="lions" /> Fandi reportedly earned $S30,000 a month. In his first season, he guided JDT all the way to the 2013 Malaysia FA Cup Final but lost 1–0 to Kelantan FA. Johor finished third in the 2013 Malaysia Super League behind LionsXII and Selangor FA. The side also paraded ex-Spanish international striker, Dani Güiza who won the Euro 2008, former SS Lazio player, Simone del Nero and as well as a host of Malaysian internationals, including Malaysia captain, Safiq Rahim and star player, Safee Sali, Norshahrul Idlan Talaha and the twins, Aidil Zafuan and Zaquan Adha. On 30 July 2013, he was relieved off his duties.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On 7 December 2013, he became head coach of the Singapore LionsXII, with Nazri Nasir as his assistant.<ref>Fabius Chen, "Nazri Nasir gets nod as assistant to Fandi Ahmad", The Straits Times, 16 December 2013.</ref> On 23 May 2015, he led LionsXII to clinch the 2015 Malaysia FA Cup, their first trophy of the season.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

2016 to presentEdit

Fandi was appointed as the head coach of Young Lions for the newly revamp 2018 Singapore Premier League season, replacing Richard Tardy.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In May 2018, he was appointed as the interim head coach of the Singapore national football team until the end of the 2018 AFF Championship.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Fandi's contract with FAS was extended in November 2019, with the new role as head of elite youth. He aims, together with technical director Joseph Palatsides, to enhance the pathways and structure for the development of youth players for the national teams. After leading the Singapore under-22 at the 2019 SEA Games, Fandi's Young Lions and the under-22s were taken over by Nazri Nasir in 2020.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Fandi was also apart of national team's coach Tatsuma Yoshida's backroom staff.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On 21 July 2022, Fandi returned to Sri Pahang as a technical adviser. The appointment comes three weeks after he left the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) following a seven-year stint. His contract as head of elite youth ended on 30 June 2022. It was reported in May that Fandi had several options from club sides in the region which he had turned down offers from sides in Indonesia, and was also linked to Malaysian teams due to his vast connections across the Causeway, such as his good relationship with Sri Pahang president, Tengku Abdul Rahman Sultan Ahmad Shah.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In January 2023, Fandi takes over as Sri Pahang coach from Malaysian legend Dollah Salleh who had taken temporary charge after the resignation of Frenchman Christophe Gamel last season. This will be Fandi's second stint as head coach of a Malaysia Super League team. His team started off into the season well after 11 games with 7 wins, 4 draws, and 0 lost before losing the undefeated streak to Johor Darul Ta'zim 2–0. On 9 June 2023, when all hope seemed lost with the score favouring to Negeri Sembilan 1–3 in the final 10 minutes of the match, Fandi's team bounced back unexpectedly to win the match with the score being 4–3 at full time.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Fandi bought hopes to Sri Pahang during the 2024–25 Malaysia Cup where he guided the team to defeat Selangor 3–2 on aggregate in the round of 16, defeated Perak 4–3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals and went on to defeat Sabah 3–2 on aggregate in the semi-finals which see the team advance to the 2025 Malaysia Cup final where it was Sri Pahang's first final since 2018.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2025, Sri Pahang was dissolved.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Managerial statisticsEdit

Template:Updated

Managerial record by team and tenure
Team	Nat	From	To	Record					Template:Abbr
Team	Nat	From	To	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Abbr
Young Lions	Template:Flagicon	1 January 2005	31 December 2006 Template:WDL	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Pelita Jaya	Template:Flagicon	1 January 2007	30 November 2009 Template:WDL	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Johor Darul Ta'zim	Template:Flagicon	3 February 2012	30 July 2013 Template:WDL	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
LionsXII	Template:Flagicon	7 December 2013	30 November 2015 Template:WDL	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Young Lions	Template:Flagicon	14 December 2017	31 December 2019 Template:WDL	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Singapore (Caretaker)	Template:Flagicon	16 May 2018	16 December 2018 Template:WDL	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Singapore U23	Template:Flagicon	1 July 2019	31 December 2019 Template:WDL	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Sri Pahang	Template:Flagicon	17 January 2023	Present Template:WDL	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1\|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Career Total Template:WDLtot

Personal lifeEdit

Fandi is a Muslim,<ref name="star" /> avoids scandals, does not smoke or drink,<ref name="clean">Yeo, pp. 146–149.</ref> and has been described as humble,<ref name="humble" /> filial, and compassionate.<ref name="nice" /> He married South African model Wendy Jacobs in 1996 and the couple have five children, namely sons Irfan, Ikhsan, Ilhan, Iryan, and a daughter Iman;<ref>Jamie Ee, "Wendy Jacobs may leave hospital this week", The Sunday Times, 1 March 2009.</ref> the four sons are footballers. The eldest three (Irfan, Ikhsan, and Ilhan) play for the Singapore national team.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Fandi is also cousins with Hafiz Abu Sujad and the national team's physiotherapist Nurhafizah.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He is the first Singaporean sportsperson to be the subject of a biography, which was released in 1993 and called The Fandi Ahmad Story. It sold 17,000 copies in two months and was also translated into Malay.<ref>Tuminah Sapawi, "Fandi's story translated into Malay", The Straits Times, 28 October 1993.</ref>

EndorsementsEdit

Products Fandi has endorsed include Lotto sportswear,<ref>Peter Khoo, "Fandi strikes record deal", The Straits Times, 3 January 1995.</ref> Royal Sporting House sportswear,<ref name="star" /> Uncle Tobys cereal, Carnation milk, and energy drink Isomax.<ref name="clean" /> In 1996, he released an album of English and Malay songs and produced Meniti Pelangi, a television programme about disadvantaged Malay Singaporeans.<ref name="star" /> Three years later, he opened a restaurant and a car dealership, but both closed down within two years.<ref name="nice" /> He has also served as an ambassador for national anti-smoking and anti-drug campaigns,<ref name="humble" /><ref name="aprmercup" /> raised funds for victims of the 2004 Indonesian tsunami and participated in a Northeast Community Development Council initiative to organise community service programmes.<ref>Li Xueying, "Well-known figures engaged by CDC to galvanise youth", The Straits Times, 29 January 2005.</ref>

HonoursEdit

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PlayerEdit

Niac Mitra

Galatama: 1982–83<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Kuala Lumpur

M-League: 1988<ref name=ml88>Template:Cite news</ref>
Malaysia Cup: 1987, 1988, 1989 <ref name=mcup87>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=mcup88>Template:Cite news</ref>

Pahang

M-League: 1992<ref name=ml92>Template:Cite news</ref>
Malaysia Cup: 1992<ref name=mcup92>Template:Cite news</ref>

Singapore FA

M-League: 1994<ref name=ml94>Template:Cite news</ref>
Malaysia Cup: 1980, 1994<ref name=mcup80>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=mcup94>Template:Cite news</ref>

Geylang United