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As the final whistle blew, the Tanjong Pagar United players stood with their heads shaking, eyes fixed on the digital scoreboard, which confirmed yet another heavy defeat. This was a scene that had become all too common for them in the 2024/25 season.
In the first half of their campaign, the Jaguars constantly found themselves on the back foot and struggled to keep pace with their opponents. However, it was under these turbulent circumstances that a pivotal change took place between the sticks.
Just before the turn of the year, the club announced the signing of experienced goalkeeper Matt Silva, who has played in countries such as Sweden, Portugal, Canada, and the Philippines.
While stepping into the firing line of a club in turmoil may be a daunting assignment for any player, Matt embraced the opportunity with open arms.
“I was looking at it as a challenge,” he recalled. “Every player thinks about their own statistics and career, so looking at the table back then, I had to ask myself if I wanted to put myself in that position. However, after positive chats with Head Coach Noh Alam Shah, where our thought processes aligned – I felt like I was up to the task.”
Matt’s composure and leadership at the back immediately lifted a Jaguars side that was running low on confidence. On his January 18 debut, the 34-year-old helped snap a six-game losing streak with a 1-1 draw against Young Lions, before guiding the team to a shock 3-0 win over Brunei DPMM – their first clean sheet in 44 competitive games.
Although the Jaguars still finished the season at the foot of the table, their improved performances offered fans renewed optimism. Central to that turnaround was Matt, whose influence both on and off the pitch earned him a contract extension.
“I thought I did quite well for the club and everyone involved with it,” he reflected. “I loved playing in the SPL against top sides like (Lion City) Sailors and (BG) Tampines. Trying to keep lethal strikers like Tomoyuki Doi quiet brings out a different animal inside of you.
“Our mindset is to do everything we can to ruin their day. Even when we lost, I enjoyed every second of it. Obviously, you don’t want to lose, but testing yourself against talented players is what you play football for.”
Heavy defeats against the likes of Geylang International (7-2) and Hougang United (6-0) meant the Jaguars conceded a total of 103 goals in 32 league games. However, these numbers only further strengthened Matt’s desire to turn the club’s fortunes around.
“Last season, many of our team talks centered on pride. Losing by five or six goals every match chips away at that. Opponents treat games against us as a chance to have fun, and the media and fans see us as pushovers. I took that personally.”
“We were able to turn things around slightly in the past six months, but I can now put my imprint on a full season and see how I can help the club throughout one full season.”
New dawn on the horizon
To aid their quest to make a strong impact in the 2025/26 season, Tanjong Pagar have recruited shrewdly in the transfer window. New additions include the likes of Chinese Taipei international Emilio Estevez, former Brisbane Roar midfielder Jesse Daley, and journeyman forward Guilherme Rodrigues.
One of the most crucial additions, however, was Australian centre-back Aaron Evans. Arriving in Jurong East with a wealth of continental experience, he is set to provide Jaguars with some much-needed stability at the back.
For Evans, the decision to join the Jaguars project was an easy one.
“Moving to Tanjong Pagar was a no-brainer for me,” explained the 30-year-old. “Similar to Matt, Coach Alam Shah’s mindset also aligns with mine when it comes to the way he thinks and executes his football.”
“Everyone here wants to achieve our targets for the season. The club hasn’t had the best results in the past few years, but that’s history for me. I’m here to change that.”
To build cohesion, the Jaguars embarked on a 9-day pre-season tour in Malaysia, where they played two friendly matches against local opposition. It provided the squad with a valuable chance to gel both on and off the field, allowing them to grow closer as a unit.
“The team is new, so it was great to play against some overseas clubs in a different environment. We were able to see how far we’ve come, as well as where we can improve,” Aaron described.
“Getting out of our comfort zones is important for building team culture and morale. We learn more about each other off the field, which then translates to strong relationships on the pitch.”
The friendlies also marked a significant milestone for Aaron. He was named captain for the first time in his career, wearing the armband against Malaysian outfit Negeri Sembilan.
“Although this is my first time being a captain, I’ve always been one in my mind,” he asserted. “I am typically loud, but I am also now committed to building relationships in the squad. My goal is to ensure everyone is satisfied and that all their concerns are being taken care of.”
His commanding presence has been instrumental in guiding and helping the players adjust to one another, setting the tone for a productive pre-season.
“The growth in the squad has been astronomical,” he described. “Everybody was unfit at the start, but now we have all improved massively both in terms of fitness and footballing ability.”
“Collectively, we came in not knowing each other at all – and now we’ve built strong relationships with all the players and staff.”
Gearing up for the task ahead
While Tanjong Pagar must wait until 13 September for their first SPL fixture against BG Tampines Rovers, Aaron sees value in the extended pre-season. For him, the extra weeks aren’t just downtime – they’re an opportunity to get sharper and build chemistry with his teammates.
“I could play tomorrow if there’s a fixture,” he said. “Our pre-season is long, but it benefits us. We get more time to train, gel, and analyse the other teams. That works to our advantage.”
That, however, is a test of the Jaguars’ resilience. The long pre-season pushes the players both mentally and physically, and staying disciplined can be just as challenging as the matches themselves.
“Being a footballer is a 24-hour job. It’s not easy to be professional and mentally strong at all times,” described Matt. “Now that pre-season is extended, we must triple down to stay focused. Even if you waver a little, your body notices. You really need to pay attention to the finest of details.”
The intensity of pre-season has only heightened the players’ anticipation for the league to begin. For Aaron, all the hard work fuels his eagerness to finally test himself in competitive matches against the rest of the league.
“I’m looking forward to playing every team, but the big games are when you get the best out of me,” he said. “There is no secret to who the big team is here, and we get to play them in the second game, which is already marked on my calendar. That is the game I want to perform in.”
Knowing that performances and respect go hand in hand, Matt is determined to prove that this new-look Jaguars side is a team that should be taken seriously.
“Of course, we aim to get as many points as possible. But I also want teams to respect us – not field their second team and treat our games with us like a fun week off,” insisted Matt. “Clean sheets and wins are great, but more importantly, I want to be able to walk around with pride, knowing I play for Tanjong Pagar.”
As a player who prides himself on shutting opponents down, Aaron has set himself a lofty target of 10 clean sheets & 7 goals this season. He also wants to secure an Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) Two spot for his side.
“I didn’t come here to finish last – my goal is to finish top two and get that ACL Two spot. People are going to laugh and say it’s unrealistic, but negativity only pushes me further,” declared Aaron.
“I wake up every day, and go into every training session with full belief that we Jaguars are capable of achieving this goal. And this mindset is something I’ll keep to my very last day here in Singapore.”
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