Agger's post prompts Alam Shah to apologise
Former Liverpool defender blames 2009 incident in Singapore for his back woes
Former Liverpool defender Daniel Agger's social media activity has attracted much interest here in recent days.
In a tweet on Sunday, the 33-year-old claimed that an aerial challenge involving former Singapore striker Noh Alam Shah during a 2009 friendly was the cause of his injury woes.
The tweet shows a picture of Agger tumbling over Alam Shah's back after going for a ball in the air, with the caption "this little jump/fall changed everything".
The incident came in July 2009, when Liverpool were in town for a pre-season friendly against a Singapore XI at the old National Stadium.
The Reds won 5-0, but the injury-prone Agger was left with a back problem that would rule him out until October that year. It would also mark the start of a slew of injuries that would see him retire at just 31.
When contacted for comment, Alam Shah said that while he could not recall much about the incident, he has since sent an apology to Agger on Instagram.
In a phone interview with The New Paper, the 37-year-old, who is the assistant manager of the national team, said: "Nobody wants to take any glory out of this, there's nothing to gain from another footballer's misery. It's an unfortunate incident. I just sent him a message and apologised."
On Twitter, some local fans paid tribute to Agger's professionalism for his spirited display in a "pointless friendly", while others tweeted to express their apology on behalf of the nation.
However, there were also those who felt that Agger's injury problems had little to do with the incident.
Recalling the match, senior manager Harpreet Singh, 35, said: "I remember the crowd hushed when he fell down, but with Agger, he's just that fragile player.
"Maybe that fall was the straw that broke the camel's back, but he's always been injury prone. I never attributed it to that incident with Alam Shah ."
Agger's injury came after Liverpool finished second in the 2008/09 campaign. The following season, in which the club finished seventh, marked the start of a period of mediocrity.
For some fans like Sivakanesh Sanmugam, the incident is a case of what might have been.
The undergraduate, 25, said: "If that was avoided, he would've played. Naturally there are hard feelings.
"Alam Shah is one of those players I look up to that played for the shirt but it's still bitter."
While apologetic, Alam Shah believes that such incidents are part and parcel of the game.
He said: "I didn't do it on purpose and I feel very sorry for him. But football is a contact sport and these things happen.
"If not, everybody will have to be apologetic."
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