Singapore’s Young Lions should not be blamed for what will be yet another early exit from the Southeast Asian Games.
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After yet another 3-1 loss, this time to Vietnam, the Young Lions are sitting near the bottom of Group B with zero points from two matches and having not found the net through their own boots.
Singapore had lost 3-1 to Thailand in their opening match.
Both goals scored by Singapore were own goals by opponents.
While the players have taken the hit online from netizens, the anger should perhaps be directed at the people who run football in Singapore.
These are the people in charge who are making the decisions for Singapore football.
One of those decisions is to have appointed Philippe Aw as the coach of the Young Lions side for the ongoing SEA Games.
Aw, who led the Young Lions in 2021, and finished bottom of the table in the Singapore Premier League, was given yet another chance to lead the team again for the 2023 season.
In comments given to the Straits Times following the team’s second defeat at the Prince Stadium in Phnom Penh, Aw has himself conceded that it is over for the Young Lions.
He told the Straits Times, “The most points we can gather from our next two matches is six.
“In a group of five, six points are not going to be enough.”
Football fans are understandably up in arms.
Singapore has failed to make the semi-finals of the biennial Games since 2013.
But the angst should be directed at the administrators who are running the Football Association of Singapore and not towards the players.
Singapore’s footballers are being shortchanged, of proper guidance, of a proper coach who understands how to help them win games, of investment in their footballing futures.
And that’s a travesty.
MAIN PHOTO: SNOC
