Back to school for Lions coach Gavin Lee, who shares lessons at Victoria JC
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Lions head coach Gavin Lee (in red) and winger Glenn Kweh (in blue) taking a wefie with student Clarence Kuan during an engagement session at Victoria Junior College on Feb 23.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
- Lions coach Gavin Lee and Glenn Kweh returned to Victoria JC, sharing lessons from their journey to the historic 2027 Asian Cup qualification.
- They emphasised belief, resilience, strong support networks and goal-setting to inspire students to overcome challenges.
- The visit aimed to inspire students towards football careers and garner more fan support for the Lions' Asian Cup journey.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – Monday mornings can be a drag, although on Feb 23 it was not bleary-eyed students who turned up for assembly at Victoria Junior College.
Shortly after 9am, a large huddle had formed around Lions head coach Gavin Lee, as students queued eagerly for wefies and photographs, even as their teachers urged them to hurry to class.
It was a special morning for the students, as well as Lee and national midfielder Glenn Kweh. The pair returned to their alma mater to share their experience, as part of the Lions squad who made history last November with a maiden qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup.
Returning to the same hall that he sat in as a student in 2007 and 2008, Lee – who was appointed the Lions’ permanent coach after sealing qualification – easily captured the attention of over 1,400 students and staff as he spoke about the importance of belief and how he overcame challenges as a student-athlete.
Lions head coach Gavin Lee (centre) and winger Glenn Kweh (left) sharing their experiences on stage during an engagement session at Victoria Junior College on Feb 23.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
The 35-year-old told The Straits Times: “Coming back, it brought back a lot of memories. Looking back, I’m just glad that I didn’t give up (my studies). I was very close to it and that was probably the easiest thing to do. It’s just like my coaching career, where I have had (more) setbacks than good moments.”
“Studies (A-level examinations) was so difficult and I didn’t understand half of what I was doing... so those were tough moments.”
But Lee, who now holds arguably Singapore sport’s most scrutinised job, said that it was the support of his teachers and family that kept him going. He eventually went on to pursue a sports science and management degree at the Nanyang Technological University.
“If you told me then (that I would go on to be national head coach), no chance I would have believed it,” said Lee.
“Getting through the tough times, it really came down to the support around you. And it’s a journey that you cannot go through alone. It’s very tough. So, similar to our road to Riyadh (qualifying for the Asian Cup), we are not alone.
“We play with 11 but we have a squad of 30 and the staff as well, and then you got the fans. If we try to go on this journey alone, it’s going to be impossible. But if we have the backing of fans, supporters, administrators, organisations, and we all come together, then there will be hope.”
The Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia will run from Jan 7 to Feb 5 in 2027 and the draw for the tournament will be held this April.
Lee hopes dialogues like this will lead to more supporters cheering for the Lions in the build-up to the continental showpiece.
He said: “Hopefully from today, we have more followers, we have more fans, more supporters. That’s always good, that’s always important, but at the same time, it hopefully shows everyone that this is a potential career path if you do want to do it.
“If I can become a coach, a lot of people can. Hopefully what we have done, especially in Hong Kong, can inspire the next generation of footballers.”
Kweh, 25, who has 28 appearances for the Lions, also shared with students the importance of resilience, a quality that helped him ace his A-level examinations and earn a degree in business administration from the National University of Singapore.
He told the students: “I was once an 18-year-old sitting here and I had doubts too. But rather than focusing on the end point, set goals and work towards it. Be a better person every day.”
Lions head coach Gavin Lee (in red) and winger Glenn Kweh (in blue) taking a group photo with students during an engagement session at Victoria Junior College on Feb 23.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
One of the students in the hall was BG Tampines Rovers youth player Rae Peh, who hopes to follow a similar path as Kweh.
Peh, 17, said: “Seeing them and hearing their stories really inspires me to continue to pursue my passion for football. Coming into JC, I knew the workload will be harder, and especially this year, we have A levels so it’s going to be more stressful and more academic workload.
“But I’m sure that, as Glenn said just now, with good time management and discipline, I’ll be able to get through this year with both studies and football.”
The Lions will next be in action on March 26 when they take on Faroe Islands in an international friendly in Dubai’s Shabab Al Ahli Stadium.
They will then return home to face Bangladesh in what will be the final match of their Asian Cup qualifying campaign at the National Stadium on March 31.
