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Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president Zainudin Nordin believes that new media is a factor in increasing pressure from the public, and it makes his job harder.
Far from being someone thrust into the job at FAS, Zainudin has an affiliation with football for as long as he can remember.
“My father was into soccer and I got involved in soccer from primary school all the way to university,” he explained to Mediacorp's Suria channel in an interview recently.
“When I got back to Singapore, I played in the cosmopolitan league and the amateur leagues. I played with a French team for five years.”
So it was with full authority, after being involved in the sport from young before being with the FAS for some time now, that Zainudin commented on the state of football from the perspective of the media, especially that of new media, which he said made his job difficult.
“Football is the number one sport in Singapore - if you win, you get praised; if you lose, you get criticised,” Zainudin said.
“With new media [such as online platforms], it is more difficult [for me]. Not like last time, where you just read the papers.”
Citing examples of criticism, Zainudin went on about how he has come to view it as simply a part of his job.
“I’ve received both positive and negative criticism,” he continued.
“The bad ones would think I’m not suitable for the job and would ask me to leave. Some would say it would be better if we chose other people.
“But there are people who give their support. It’s part and parcel of my role as president of FAS. [I do] not [see it as] personal criticism.
"Our fans are passionate in football. We must understand the fans, they will criticize, but they will support too. Their support is important.”