Forum: Support for Lions shouldn’t come only when they win

The Lions making it to the ASEAN Championship semi-finals is an achievement worth acknowledging (Ilhan Fandi to the fore again as Lions hold Indonesia for ASEAN C’ship semis spot, Aug 7).

As supporters, it is easy for us to focus on the 90 minutes we see on the pitch. What we do not always see is everything behind those 90 minutes.

There is the daily grind of training, the physical demands, the sacrifices, the setbacks and the pressure that comes with representing Singapore. There is also time spent away from family and the importance of having a strong support system behind each player.

Professional football in Singapore is very different from the highly lucrative careers we often associate with footballers in the world’s biggest leagues.

For most of our local players, choosing professional football does not mean becoming a multi-millionaire or being financially set for life. But they continue to commit themselves to the sport, turn up for training and make the necessary sacrifices. I think that deserves some respect.

Of course, supporting our national team does not mean we cannot criticise them. Expectations, scrutiny and constructive criticism are part of competitive sport. Our players themselves will want to improve and achieve better results.

But support should not exist only when they win. If we genuinely want Singapore football to grow, we need to believe more consistently in our own players – not blindly, but fairly, constructively and with an appreciation of what it takes to represent the country.

All the best to the Lions for the semi-finals. We are behind you.

Zan Johan