FAS to work on 10 areas for SEA Games teams after review, pledges to build a better future
The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) on Friday pledged to “build a better future” for SEA Games squads that are sent to the biennial competition, as it announced 10 recommendations after the conclusion of its review of the Phnom Penh Games in May.
The FAS has appointed a panel comprising former national head coach Jita Singh and three FAS council members Razali Sa’ad, Lim Tong Hai and Harman Ali to examine the Young Lions disastrous campaign in Cambodia.
The team finished last in their group, suffering three defeats, including a 7-0 thrashing by fierce rivals Malaysia, and failed to qualify for the semi-finals.
The four-member panel spent four weeks to gather their findings before presenting them to the FAS. Their individual reports were discussed and the national association will implement the following changes over the next three to six months to improve performances.
1. The Under-22s/23s will be categorised under the men’s national teams and fall under the purview of the Lions coach. This elevates the importance of the age-group team, accelerates the transition of these players to the senior squad, and allows access to greater resources ahead of major tournaments.
2. Every SEA Games will be run as a two-year project. This allows the head coach, who should also take charge of the Young Lions in the Singapore Premier League (SPL), and team to develop over a longer period. The team will play in eight to 10 international matches during each cycle. Of the 20 players in the 2023 Games squad, only seven had prior international experience before the Merlion Cup, a tune-up competition.
3. A long list of SEA Games eligible players to be curated at the start of the two-year cycle, and each to have individual development plans (IDP). The 2023 batch arrived for pre-tournament training with different levels of fitness and there was incomplete data regarding their physical conditioning. IDP will be in place three to six months before a tournament.
4. The U-22s/23s, which has to cope with national service and school commitments, will prioritise the SEA Games and AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers, which serve as Olympic qualifiers. All other tournaments will be regarded as developmental opportunities. In 2023, the team has the SEA Games, the AFF U-23 Championship (which they have since withdrawn from), Asian Games and AFC qualifiers, plus the Merlion Cup.
5. Changes in SPL rules will be reviewed to increase playing minutes for key U-22/23 footballers. Currently, all clubs except Brunei DPMM and Young Lions must field a local U-23 player for the entire first half in their matches. Only eight of the 20 SEA Games players were playing regularly (50 per cent of the game time) in the 2023 SPL season.
6. The U-23s/U-22s will have a minimum of two weeks to prepare for priority tournaments; FAS to adjust SPL scheduling and/or enact rules changes for this. Due to NS and school commitments, the 2023 team had only the Merlion Cup in March and a friendly against Geylang International to prepare for the SEA Games.
7. Mental preparation and team-building activities will be compulsory. A trained sports psychologist will be involved in pre-tournament preparation. The 2023 Games campaign did not have a sports psychologist playing an active part in preparations.
8. Players’ diets will be planned when the FAS has control of meals. Currently, only hydration is monitored, while players are advised on healthy eating. In Cambodia, players ate whatever was on offer at the SEA Games hotel.
9. A comprehensive analyst team that provides pre-game opponent analysis, in-game analysis and recommendations, and post-game review and objective feedback, should be built at the national level. The SEA games team was supported by just one analyst.
10. All injuries during tournaments have to be verified and signed off by a medical doctor. Control of players, including those leaving early, should be cleared by the head coach. This protocol was not in place and there was a limited selection of players in the final group-game loss to Malaysia.
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