Jordan Emaviwe and Harhys Stewart lead new wave of utility players knocking on Lions door

Jordan Emaviwe (second from left) said he has further developed as a player since joining Thailand's Chiangrai United. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

SINGAPORE – Around 2,000km away in the Thai League 1, a couple of Chiangrai United players provided a glimpse of what they can bring to the Singapore national team, as Harhys Stewart whipped in a tantalising cross for Jordan Emaviwe to powerfully head home in a 3-2 loss at Bangkok United on March 8.

While they have yet to establish themselves with the Lions, the duo – both born in 2001 – have done well enough to earn a call-up by national football coach Tsutomu Ogura with their consistent displays in the Thai top tier.

Since joining the Beetles in 2024, midfielder Stewart has five goals and four assists in 37 club games, including the winner in the 1-0 League Cup last-16 victory over Prachuap on Feb 26.

Defender Emaviwe has played in 12 matches since signing in 2025, contributing to six clean sheets and scoring in their last two matches as a centre-forward.

Ahead of Singapore’s friendly against Nepal on March 21 and their Asian Cup qualifier against Hong Kong on March 25 – both at the National Stadium – the duo credited their overseas stint for helping them mature as they become more ready to take over the mantle in the national team.

Emaviwe, who was with Swiss side Chiasso from 2017 to 2020, said: “Playing overseas with local and foreign players who are technically strong has helped me further develop as a player.

“It is not much different from when I was at Chiasso, but I was like a kid then and didn’t see that stint as a job . Now that I’m older, I realise that there are things at stake such as my career. If I mess around and don’t take things seriously, there will be big consequences.

“I also understand our responsibility as the next generation of national players, and I’m ready to take the opportunity and do my best for my country.”

An imposing figure at 1.95m, Emaviwe has impressed at centre-back, left-back and up front.

On March 16, he dummied past one defender and held off another before finishing neatly with his left foot for the only goal in the win over Rayong to earn a place in the Thai League 1 Team of the Week.

His exploits have earned comparisons with utility player Safuwan Baharudin, a defender by trade who has been called upon as an emergency attacking option and has 13 goals from 120 international appearances.

While he learns from Safuwan and Lions skipper Hariss Harun, Emaviwe is confident in his own ability as he looks to add to his two caps.

He said: “I have my own style with my dribbling and pace, and it’s always enjoyable to score. I back myself for sure, but I will do my best wherever the coach plays me.”

Similarly, Stewart has become a more assured player since moving from the Young Lions to Chiangrai, where he has played as a central midfielder, right midfielder and right-back.

He said: “The Thai league is probably the most competitive league in South-east Asia and there are so many good technical players I’ve learnt a lot from.

“ My biggest strengths are my engine, work rate and my ability to help progress the ball from defence to attack and help create chances. Playing in different positions has also helped me think faster and realise how important it is to know your next move and up the tempo.”

Harhys Stewart (No. 23) has learnt to take care of himself and be more professional while at Chiangrai United. ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR

Stewart, who has four caps, also shared how he has grown as a person, as he has had to fend for himself living abroad on his own.

From someone who cannot cook, he now claims to whip up a mean aglio olio, spaghetti bolognese and Mexican chicken wrap, as he pays more attention to finer details to take care of himself.

He said: “My first away game featured a 15-hour bus ride to Uthai Thani and I was sitting next to 1.97m Serbian defender Veljko Filipovic on a regular bus. It was really tough and I used to get sick a lot with the travelling. But I learnt to get better by taking vitamins, and it’s little things like these that make a difference.”

“It’s not just about what you do in the few hours on the training ground,” he added. “The other 20 hours in the day are also important in terms of sleep, injury prevention, recovery exercises and so on. I’ve become a lot more professional to take care of myself and learn from the faster and more physical nature of Thai league football.”

Stewart, who turned 24 on March 20, hopes to make an impact with the national team after missing out on the 2024 Asean Championship, which was held outside a Fifa international window.

He said: “I was really, really devastated, and I’m trying to make up for lost time now. We have a good team with good individuals and had a year to develop a playing style and chemistry with coach Ogura. We are ready to kick on and hopefully make history by qualifying for the Asian Cup.”

After showing his appreciation for about 100 Singapore fans who were invited to their March 20 training session at the National Stadium after the buses to the Asean Championship match in Malaysia were held up on Dec 20, Ogura said he is optimistic about the future of fringe players such as Stewart and Emaviwe, who can play in multiple positions.

He added: “They are at a good age, they are fit and have experience, but we don’t have any place in the team reserved for any player. Everyone has to fight for their place , and if they perform well, they can play .

“We want to try certain things for the match against Hong Kong, and use as many players as possible to see who can play in which positions. I told the players if they want to become the first Singapore team to qualify for the Asian Cup, they need to try harder than before, and it starts now.”

David Lee is senior sports correspondent at The Straits Times focusing on aquatics, badminton, basketball, cue sports, football and table tennis.

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