Football: Lions coach Nishigaya wants all-round improvement after ‘painful’ AFF C’ship result
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Singapore football head coach Takayuki Nishigaya speaking to the Singaporean press after the loss to Malaysia at the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup match, on January 4, 2023.P
PHOTO: The Straits Times
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KUALA LUMPUR – A day after crashing out of the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Mitsubishi Electric Cup, Singapore coach Takayuki Nishigaya was candid in his assessment of the team’s shortcomings.
“I can be better, and the players can be better. There is a lot of room to grow,” said the 49-year-old, who acknowledged that he is under pressure.
“As national team coach, I’m always thinking about how to realise our players’ full potential. It is natural to compare with other countries, but it is important to know what we have and how we can improve. My big challenge is to get everyone to understand and push each other more.
“This is a painful result, and we shouldn’t forget this feeling. It is an opportunity to learn and become better so we don’t experience this again. We can do better to overcome mistakes and tough situations.”
After watching the Lions labour to a 3-2 home win over Myanmar the 4-1 collapse in Malaysia
For example, he cited the lack of physical and mental fitness.
Nishigaya told The Straits Times: “Against Malaysia, we needed to play at the level we did against Vietnam. In the end, the players tried and did what we could but it wasn’t enough because our fitness levels were not enough to play four games in 11 days.
“We don’t have enough experience in this kind of tough and high-intensity matches.”
He also acknowledged the gap in quality between the senior players and the younger ones, though he said “every player showed good commitment”.
He added: “Japanese players think about how they can improve every day. I want our players to have this mindset as well. The young players need more experience in order to become better. Go abroad and train harder, challenge themselves more.
“We have to create a good environment to develop the younger players. We need a long-term plan for youth development.”
Throughout the half-hour interview, Nishigaya stressed no fewer than five times that all stakeholders need to “cooperate and work together to improve Singapore football”, and that the national team cannot achieve success on their own.
For example, if the lack of physique is a problem, issues and solutions relating to nutrition, training and conditioning to help players become bigger and stronger need to be addressed and applied at the youth level.
Nishigaya also urged further development of the Singapore Premier League – where most of the Lions squad ply their trade – to help national footballers get more accustomed to a higher level of play.
“The players have to get used to more high-intensity training and games, and this can only be changed day to day at club level,” said the Japanese, who will meet Football Association of Singapore officials to discuss plans for the year ahead.
The Lions will compete in the World Cup qualifiers in 2023, before the 2024 AFF Championship.
Despite the setback, Nishigaya will not change his philosophy of being “progressive and aggressive”.
He explained: “I strongly believe, if the players reach their full potential, they are able to play progressively and aggressively. These two words don’t apply to just football, but they also represent a mentality and way of life to have the desire to improve every single day.
“I believe everyone wants Singapore football to do well. I am the same, that is why I am here, and so I hope everyone can work together for this common goal.”
