The Football Association of Singapore is not lacking in its efforts to nurture promising players in terms of skill and technicality.

What it has failed to do, however, is demand a certain fitness standard of our national football players in all age groups.

Modern football is very athletic, but fitness is our Achilles' heel (Lack of fitness costly; Aug 17).

Players in teams such as Manchester United are so fit that they have energy in reserve to play "one gear up" - faster, quicker and harder - even in the second half of the match.

Until our national football team can perform this way, we will continue to witness our footballers playing a competitive first half and stumbling in the second half of a match.

Liew Eng Leng