New Lions coach will be one we are proud of, vows FAS president Forrest Li
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Football Association of Singapore president Forrest Li was elected president for a four-year term on April 28.
ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Follow topic:
- FAS president Forrest Li aims to make local football a national conversation, targeting Asian Cup qualification and a successful national coach appointment.
- Li wants to be personally involved in finding a new national coach, willing to travel globally to meet candidates and ensure the right fit.
- Financial incentives have been introduced to boost team performance, with the goal of qualifying for the Asian Cup for the first time.
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SINGAPORE – As Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president Forrest Li marked his 100-day milestone helming the organisation on Aug 6, the billionaire wants local football to be a talking point at dinner tables and coffee shops again.
While Singapore football has been in the doldrums in recent times, the chief executive officer of technology conglomerate Sea hopes to rekindle interest among fans.
And a big part of that goal could be achieved with the hiring of a successful national coach and a historic qualification for the Asian Cup, said Li.
On April 28, the Singaporean entrepreneur was elected president for a four-year term alongside a slate that included lawyer and former BG Tampines Rovers chairman Desmond Ong (deputy president) and four vice-presidents.
Top of his priority list is hiring a head coach to replace Japanese Tsutomu Ogura, who resigned on June 24.
The Straits Times previously reported that over 60 candidates had expressed interest in the job, including the likes of Italian icon Fabio Cannavaro, former Liverpool winger Harry Kewell, former Tottenham Hotspur assistant coach Nick Montgomery and ex-Thailand national coach Mano Polking.
Speaking to media at an engagement session at the Shangri-La hotel on Aug 6, Li said: “People do have a very strong opinion of that (the head coach), but that’s fine, and I think what will be the worst, and what I really want to avoid is that even when we make an announcement, nobody cares.
“I hope one day, when we announce the next national team coach, that will be the conversation at every dinner table in every house that evening in Singapore. That is the moment, where for all of us that love Singapore football... will be proud of.
“We have a lot of interest, but we also want to get the right people... and I’m personally committed to fly around the world. It’s important to really know the person and we cannot just make a decision by his resume.”
Li, who according to Forbes’ annual list of global billionaires published in April is third in the Singapore rich list with a net worth of US$8.6 billion (S$11.06 billion), attended the Aug 6 session alongside FAS council members, Singapore Premier League club officials, FAS staff and key members of the Unleash the Roar! national football project.
Officials from the Asean Football Federation were also in attendance.
In a short presentation at the session, Ong revealed the FAS has received 67 applications for the head coach role, with 16 candidates shortlisted and 10 selected for interviews.
He also shared that some of the key criteria that the FAS is looking for includes a proficient level of English, a history of coaching teams challenging for or who have won titles, helming sides in major games or competitions and an extended tenure at a club or federation.
In the interim, former Tampines head coach Gavin Lee will lead the Lions against India in back-to-back Asian Cup qualifiers in October. If the new coach is hired after that, he will likely lead the team in an away Asian Cup qualifier against Hong Kong in November.
Singapore are top of their Asian Cup qualifying Group C on goals scored, ahead of Hong Kong (four points), Bangladesh and India, who have a point apiece, leaving them potentially four positive results away from a maiden qualification for the continental showpiece.
Only the group winners will advance to the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia. Singapore have never qualified for the Asian Cup on merit, with their only appearance coming as hosts in 1984.
In a bid to boost team performance and morale ahead of the qualifiers, the FAS announced on Aug 6 that its new management team have introduced several financial incentives. These include tripling the bonus for match victories and nearly doubling the daily local training allowance.
Li added: “From a competition perspective, definitely the single most important one is the Asian Cup... our goal is to win the group and qualify.
“I think that will be history-making. If we have that achieved, I would love to invite everybody back here and we should have a big celebration party.”
