Time to inject young talent into Singapore football

The news that V. Sundram Moorthy would inject youngsters into the friendly match against Lebanon last Thursday stirred up hopes that there would be a rejuvenation in the team's current composition and the recovery of a crumbling national team to a more respectable Fifa ranking (Sundram to test youngsters as he hangs on to slim hope; Nov 9).

The report after the friendly, however, did not cover the performance of the youngsters he was testing in the game (Winless in 13 games but Sundram positive; Nov 10).

The promised introduction of the youngsters in this game would have drawn many soccer fans with the expectation that the new blood could excel and be part of a future squad to take the national team out of its present malaise.

It is about time that the national team starts including these young potentials, rather than hanging on to the older players in the hope that the string of losses will eventually end with wins.

The young players may incur losses for the team in the interim but if well blended, they could inject more youthful vim and daring, both notably absent in the current jaded national team.

It augurs well for Singapore football, and the return of the Kallang Roar, if such recruitment is undertaken in earnest soon.

George Pasqual

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 14, 2017, with the headline Time to inject young talent into Singapore football. Subscribe