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SINGAPORE: New Singapore men’s national football team head coach Gavin Lee’s elevation to the permanent role has been hailed by some as a nod to local managerial talent development.
However, significant concerns still remain among fans, ex-footballers and sports observers about the challenges facing the 35-year-old, who was unveiled on Friday (Nov 28).
While they expressed varying degrees of support, many shared concerns over Singapore football’s talent pipeline and also called for the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) to have patience over Lee’s tenure.
MANAGERIAL INEXPERIENCE
Fans and ex-players told CNA that Lee’s lack of experience at this level of football certainly stands out, though it is not a deal breaker.
Long-time Lions fan Deepankar Sharma said that Lee deserved a fair shot at the permanent position based on the merit of the Asian Cup qualification, commending the FAS for going through with his appointment.
“Yes, he lacks experience. But as we know, based on some of our previous national team coaches, vast experience doesn’t always translate into success,” noted the 34-year-old.
Former player and coach Shasi Kumar said the appointment of Lee is a good move.
“Everyone is talking about the lack of experience at this level. Valid point,” he said.
“But the argument that he will get experience from overseas attachment is flawed too. You only gain experience by experiencing the real thing.”
James Walton, Deloitte's sports business group leader for Asia Pacific and Southeast Asia, noted that prior to his permanent appointment, Lee was already being groomed for the role by FAS.
He was an assistant in the national team, even when he was at Tampines Rovers, noted Walton.
“Nobody's expecting us to go to the Asian Cup and win it or anything. I think it will be a great opportunity for him, from an experience point of view,” he said.
Another systemic problem facing Lee is Singapore’s squad depth.
“The reality of Singapore is our player pool is what our player pool is, and it would only take an injury to a couple of some of our key players, particularly to one of the Fandis, and it could really throw a spanner in the works,” said Walton.
There is also a concern about whether the Singapore team would be able to replace its more senior players in the longer term.
Lee would have to identify new players to replace the experienced senior players like Safuwan Baharudun, Hariss Harun and Izwan Mahbud, said Shasi.
Dil Amarasekara, a member of the Lions’ fan club SingaBrigade, warned that Singapore must be “realistic” about what can be achieved with the current squad, stressing that Lee cannot be expected to deliver major tournament results immediately.
With senior players in the team ageing, Lee should also be given the chance to build the next generation of the national team that could deliver success over the next five years, he added.
“He should be given a lot of leeway and time to reach his true potential. If the FAS becomes trigger-happy, we might see the premature end of a generational coaching talent,” said the 35-year-old managing director of a lab equipment firm.
Fans and ex-players also told CNA that Lee has a clear playing style with a front-foot approach, which he has carried through from his Tampines Rovers days.
“I think in the past we could see that sometimes the team didn’t exactly get what some of the coaches were trying to do,” said Sharma.
Former national goalkeeper Lionel Lewis noted that Lee will have to manage expectations, especially since his rise during the Asian Cup qualifiers has created a sense of optimism.
Sustaining that momentum is tough, the assistant director for student development and alumni relations at Nanyang Polytechnic noted. “Singapore will face continental giants like Japan and South Korea, so bridging the gap in quality and experience will be critical.”
HAVING THE PLAYERS’ SUPPORT
During the press conference on Friday, FAS Deputy President Desmond Ong said: “If you speak to the players themselves, it became increasingly evident that they wanted Gavin to remain as coach. And I think their voices should be the loudest.”
This was a point which triggered some scepticism among some quarters.
Sharma said that players’ opinions on a coach should not be a factor in deciding who to appoint.
“Being a head coach isn’t a popularity contest. The same players that love a coach today may not love him tomorrow if they go through a rough patch,” he said.
Lewis said that while player input can be valuable, it should not be the sole criteria for selecting a new head coach, he added.
“A coach must be chosen based on vision, tactical ability, and long-term development goals,” he said.
Long-time Lions fan Amarasekara noted that for a coach, if the players like you, it might be easier to inculcate a siege mentality.
“The words ‘Don't let me down’ might have an outsized effect if the players are willing to go to war for you,” he said.
There were also some who saw the 18-month contract period as a signal of caution.
Amarasekara said he felt it was not long enough, saying: “We can't expect Gavin to deliver anything tangible during the ASEAN Championship or the Asian Cup to be honest.
“To peg it at 18 months seems to indicate renewal is dependent on success, or at least meeting targets, on these two tournaments.”
However, others saw it as just the right duration for Lee to prove his coaching chops, especially with the major Asian Cup on the horizon.
“I think in Singapore football, we do tend to work in 18 months (to) two years kind of cycles,” said Walton.
He said it gives Lee the certainty that the FAS will fully support him through the Asian Cup, letting him plan on that basis. The players themselves will also know that Lee is going to be the coach that takes them to the tournament, said Walton.
“If he does a good job and if he gets us in good shape for that Asian Cup, and the team puts up a credible performance, then I'm absolutely certain that an extension will follow,” he said.
UNDERSTANDING OF LOCAL CULTURE
Fans and observers agreed that Lee brings a far deeper understanding of Singapore football than his predecessors, as a Singaporean himself.
“He's seen the players for many, many years, across all the teams. He understands the mentality and the psyche of Singapore players and the Singapore league,” said Walton.
“And at the end of the day, he's a Singaporean. He's going to wear his heart on his sleeve. He understands what this means to the country. This is not just another job for him. For a Singaporean coach, this is really the pinnacle of opportunities,” he said.
Sharma noted that Lee’s past roles as Tampines Rovers head coach and as ex-coach Tsutomu Ogura’s right-hand man gave him a better understanding of the local football scene and a bedding-in period to ease into the permanent role.
“He has existing relationships with the players and staff, which should be helpful in building further rapport,” he said.
Lee being local and young also helps him relate better to the players, with the cultural and generational gap being relatively small, added Sharma.
But the flipside is that the players may not respect him, given his young age and lack of experience.
“If the national team goes through a run of games without positive performances and results, is the media going to start throwing him under the bus and how is that going to impact the players’ perception of him?” he asked.
Shasi said that Lee has the ability and can only get better with time. “He is a footballing person and a student of the game.”
Lee brings with him “rapport, likability, knowing the culture and also a good, honest team around him”, said Shasi.
On Lee’s short-term radar would be the Asean Football Federation Championship next year, where a string of good results would work wonders for the team, he said.
Amarasekara said that, ultimately, Lee’s appointment is well deserved as he has been “punching above his weight with limited resources at both club and national levels”.
Lee’s run of results demonstrates that he is capable and has delivered on expectations, which is the most important factor for his selection as head coach, said Lewis.
“Gavin understands the unique challenges of Singapore football and its culture,” he said.
