Former national football coach Fandi Ahmad should really explain the cryptic comment he made recently.

He said the "new national coach must understand and adapt to our unique ecosystem" (Clarity on local football 'ecosystem' needed; Dec 12).

He appears to have been handicapped by the team's "uniqueness" and this prevented him from taking the national team past the group stage of the recent Suzuki Cup.

He wants future national coach appointees to take heed. It would be advantageous if he could discuss this unique ecosystem, which he encountered, with the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and work with it towards remedial actions for the future.

Not acting to correct this "unique ecosystem" is not helping the development of Singapore football.

As a former Lions 12 Malaysia Cup coach, Lions S-League coach, National coach for the Suzuki Cup, and now Under-23 national coach for the SEA games, he would be in the best position to give the feedback to his bosses at FAS.

To generalise that it is the unique ecosystem that is an obstacle without defining its causes and offering possible solutions, is a sign of submission that nothing more can be done to rectify the current slide of the national team which has become faceless minnows of South-east Asia football.

George Pasqual