SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): The Lionesses will hope they can have a rocking good time with the appointment of Mihoko Ishida as the new Singapore women’s national football coach on a two-year contract.
The 43-year-old Japanese comes with a diverse curriculum vitae.
Not only was she a successful forward, having won the Women’s Premier League in England with Arsenal in 2004, she was also a rock star who landed record deals before she began focusing on her coaching career with clubs in Japan.
The unorthodox Ishida clearly loves to take on something new, which led her to taking up her latest gig.
Making her first public appearance as Lionesses coach at the AFC Women’s Football Day event at Kick Off! at Kovan Sports Centre on April 5, she said: “One of the reasons I chose Singapore is the opportunity to take on challenges together as a group.
“It’s not something already completed – there is a strong appeal in building something from the ground up.”
Ishida replaces Karim Bencherifa, whose three-year stint was not renewed earlier this month.
Benecherifa, 58, took over from Stephen Ng in February 2023 and guided the Lionesses to qualification for the 2025 Asean Women’s Championship – although the team were withdrawn by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) due to overlapping fixtures – and 9-0 friendly wins over Macau in 2024 and Seychelles in 2025.
However, during this period, Singapore saw their world ranking slip from 134th to 152nd and he left with a record of five wins, two draws and 17 losses in 24 games.
FAS council member and women’s committee chairperson Yeong Sheau Shyan noted that Ishida fits the bill because of her vast experience at various levels.
She said: “Women’s football in Singapore is on the rise, but we are still of amateur status. The players are studying or working full-time, training after office hours and playing in the league on weekends.
“We wanted someone who had playing and coaching experiences at both the amateur and professional levels – someone who could understand our players’ situation and inspire them.
“Since establishing the WE League, Japan’s investment in women’s football and coach education has produced many elite female coaches, and they have shown us year after year how smaller-physique Asians can compete on the international stage.
“We hope coach Ishida can share that knowledge and expertise with us – not just for our seniors, but to help shape our youth development.”
Ishida comes with certain pedigree and a unique personality.
From being a Musashigaoka College forward who spoke no English, she was signed by Arsenal after impressing during a college tour of England in 2003, going on to win the league and FA Cup alongside Faye White – the longest-serving captain in England women’s football history – and Alex Scott, who went on to earn over 140 caps for England. Ishida finished her playing career with JEF United.
The Bon Jovi fan started singing at 17 when she took over as a vocalist of a band but chose to focus on football.
But her Arsenal teammates and English tutor convinced her it was okay to have multiple interests, and she became a recording artiste who also wrote football-themed songs like Striker, and Captain after her playing career.
She told The Athletic in a 2020 interview: “Most of my themes are stuff I learnt in football, about teammates or bonding or a story of the team winning or losing. All the feelings – I wanted to dedicate those songs to those who are not playing football.
“When I sing with a band, it’s similar to playing football. When the guitar and drum play in the same tempo and same timing, it’s kind of similar when you do well with your teammates on the pitch. A band and a football team is the same. You’re doing it as a team, so those feelings were what I loved about doing it with the band members.”
While she still loves music, Ishida decided to swop her microphone for a tactics board.
From 2019 to 2021, as Sfida Setagaya’s assistant coach, she helped the team top the Nadeshiko League Division Two.
After moving to Yokohama FC Seagulls as the assistant coach in 2022, she was appointed the head coach the subsequent season, a post she held until 2025.
In line with her philosophy to encourage players to take the initiative and think for themselves on the pitch, she said: “My style is about continuing to try without fear of mistakes.
“Players are not being forced – but there is structure and discipline. And all players are equal. Every player in Singapore has a chance.”
Having observed the squad during the Lionesses’ centralised training in the February window, Ishida added: “The first thing I felt was the players’ dedication. They choose football while balancing their work lives.
“I saw strength, resilience, and a refusal to make excuses. I want to fully support them so that their love for football becomes confidence, and their individuality can shine on the pitch.”
On her stint in Singapore, she added: “I want everyone involved in women’s football in Singapore to feel proud of this work.
“Perhaps in five or 10 years, the environment may change dramatically. This moment might be the foundation for that future.” -- The Straits Times/ANN
