The LionsXII and the Young Lions might have already hoovered up Singapore's best young players, yet the proposed Asean Super League (ASL) could prove another rival competition to drain away the best players from the S-League clubs.

The ASL is an initiative spearheaded by former Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president Zainudin Nordin, who is keen to launch the Champions League-style tournament for 10 clubs across the region, next August.

So far, the ASL has attracted lukewarm response from the region, but he is keen to revive the LionsXII team to kick-start the tournament.

In Singapore, there are concerns how the ASL will cannibalise the S-League in a similar way that the LionsXII did when they played in the Malaysia Super League.

Tan Hwee Heng, a sales manager who had followed the Lions since he was 13, longs for the days when the local clubs churned out players for the national team.

The 41-year-old said: "The LionsXII and Young Lions had narrowed the talent pool too much. The ASL is another project that has short-term goals.

"If the clubs are strong, the pool will be bigger and it will be more competitive to get into the national team.

"Previously, Geylang produced really good players like Indra Sahdan and Ahmad Latiff for the national team."

Patrick Ang, former chairman of Geylang International and former team manager of the Lions, added: "Looking at the football we are dishing out now, we are not ready for the ASL. We need to get our own house in order first.

"The (lower-tier) NFL (National Football League) and Islandwide League must be recognised too. The success of the national team will also rub off on the league.

"But what we have now is a national set-up that doesn't seem to trust the league and a league that doesn't seem to trust the national set-up.

"I was disappointed at the lip service FAS paid when it always said the S-League was important but the clubs keep losing their players to the Young Lions, LionsXII and soon, the ASL."

Wang Meng Meng