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Disband Lions? Players express shock
By Sanjay Nair
SINGAPORE'S players have reacted with shock and disbelief to Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president Zainudin Nordin's announcement that the national team will be disbanded following disappointing performances last year.
Mr Zainudin, who is also the mayor of Central Singapore District, told Berita Harian in an interview that all Lions players will be dropped and fresh, young talent blooded.
Calling it the 'the best thing to do for the good of the future of Singapore football', he added that probably only four players from the current set-up may return in the future. He did not reply to queries from The Straits Times by press time.
Last year was a forgettable one for the Lions: They failed to qualify for the final round of the Asian Cup in February and were knocked out at the group stage in last month's Suzuki Cup - the premier South-east Asian football competition - for the first time since 2002.
Losses aside, the national team has also been hit by revelations of a smoking culture, curfew breaking and ill-discipline among some players.
To add to their woes, Singapore's Fifa world ranking fell last year by 20 places to 140th - their lowest ever.
Still, defender Daniel Bennett believes the directive is an over-reaction from the Republic's football honcho.
He said: 'I can't understand what changing the entire squad will accomplish as the difference between winning and losing in knock-out competitions like the Suzuki Cup is marginal. This is really unheard of.'
The 32-year-old naturalised Singaporean was part of the Lions' Suzuki Cup outfit which finished third in their four-team group, behind Vietnam and minnows the Philippines.
Bennett added: 'I don't understand all the negative reaction we've been getting in recent weeks.
'With some luck, we would have made it to the semi-finals, then no one would be saying a thing.'
Agreeing, veteran forward Aleksandar Duric, 40, said radical changes will not arrest the slide. The Tampines Rovers player said: 'Dropping the entire team does not solve any problems. You still need a good mix of senior players to nurture the youngsters coming through.
'If not, you have to be prepared for years of winning nothing and wondering how many of them can step up to the international level.'
Added Lions goalkeeper Hassan Sunny, 26: 'I'm shocked because to revamp the whole squad based on just a few performances is really harsh.'
But football fan Eric Seow, 34, believes it is the right time for the axe to fall. The banking associate said: 'The Lions needed a major shake-up and this is it.
'We can't get any worse than we are now, so let's give youngsters like Hariss Harun and Safuwan Baharudin a chance to lead the team and instil a fresh culture and mindset in the national set-up.'
But Lions fan Muhammad Arief, 21, felt the blame should not rest on the players' shoulders, saying: 'Dropping all the players just like that sends out the wrong message. The FAS also needs to look at the management system in place.'
National coach Raddy Avramovic declined to comment.
In line with the overhaul, Mr Zainudin warned local fans to temper their expectations for the next few years.
He explained: 'We must be able to accept that for such a development to happen, it will take time.
'We're going to concentrate on youth development between the ages of 14 and 17 to unearth new talent and enlarge the local talent pool. This will take at least five years to be a success.'
Singapore Armed Forces FC coach Richard Bok approved of the youth-based approach, saying: 'Youth development is not a short-term effort, so we need to start in earnest now.
'We may suffer for a few years while the youngsters gain experience, but you need to look 10 to 12 years ahead like the powerhouse football nations do.'
The national team's only assignment this year is the 2014 World Cup qualifiers slated for June.
By Sanjay Nair
SINGAPORE'S players have reacted with shock and disbelief to Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president Zainudin Nordin's announcement that the national team will be disbanded following disappointing performances last year.
Mr Zainudin, who is also the mayor of Central Singapore District, told Berita Harian in an interview that all Lions players will be dropped and fresh, young talent blooded.
Calling it the 'the best thing to do for the good of the future of Singapore football', he added that probably only four players from the current set-up may return in the future. He did not reply to queries from The Straits Times by press time.
Last year was a forgettable one for the Lions: They failed to qualify for the final round of the Asian Cup in February and were knocked out at the group stage in last month's Suzuki Cup - the premier South-east Asian football competition - for the first time since 2002.
Losses aside, the national team has also been hit by revelations of a smoking culture, curfew breaking and ill-discipline among some players.
To add to their woes, Singapore's Fifa world ranking fell last year by 20 places to 140th - their lowest ever.
Still, defender Daniel Bennett believes the directive is an over-reaction from the Republic's football honcho.
He said: 'I can't understand what changing the entire squad will accomplish as the difference between winning and losing in knock-out competitions like the Suzuki Cup is marginal. This is really unheard of.'
The 32-year-old naturalised Singaporean was part of the Lions' Suzuki Cup outfit which finished third in their four-team group, behind Vietnam and minnows the Philippines.
Bennett added: 'I don't understand all the negative reaction we've been getting in recent weeks.
'With some luck, we would have made it to the semi-finals, then no one would be saying a thing.'
Agreeing, veteran forward Aleksandar Duric, 40, said radical changes will not arrest the slide. The Tampines Rovers player said: 'Dropping the entire team does not solve any problems. You still need a good mix of senior players to nurture the youngsters coming through.
'If not, you have to be prepared for years of winning nothing and wondering how many of them can step up to the international level.'
Added Lions goalkeeper Hassan Sunny, 26: 'I'm shocked because to revamp the whole squad based on just a few performances is really harsh.'
But football fan Eric Seow, 34, believes it is the right time for the axe to fall. The banking associate said: 'The Lions needed a major shake-up and this is it.
'We can't get any worse than we are now, so let's give youngsters like Hariss Harun and Safuwan Baharudin a chance to lead the team and instil a fresh culture and mindset in the national set-up.'
But Lions fan Muhammad Arief, 21, felt the blame should not rest on the players' shoulders, saying: 'Dropping all the players just like that sends out the wrong message. The FAS also needs to look at the management system in place.'
National coach Raddy Avramovic declined to comment.
In line with the overhaul, Mr Zainudin warned local fans to temper their expectations for the next few years.
He explained: 'We must be able to accept that for such a development to happen, it will take time.
'We're going to concentrate on youth development between the ages of 14 and 17 to unearth new talent and enlarge the local talent pool. This will take at least five years to be a success.'
Singapore Armed Forces FC coach Richard Bok approved of the youth-based approach, saying: 'Youth development is not a short-term effort, so we need to start in earnest now.
'We may suffer for a few years while the youngsters gain experience, but you need to look 10 to 12 years ahead like the powerhouse football nations do.'
The national team's only assignment this year is the 2014 World Cup qualifiers slated for June.
