S.League, NFL to take priority over Asean Super League
Newly elected Football Association of Singapore president Lim Kia Tong and his team will prioritise the S.League and the National Football League instead of the Asean Super League (ASL).
First conceived over a decade ago, the ASL was a pet project of Lim's predecessor Zainudin Nordin. However, it remains to be seen if the project will get off the ground.
"There was an attempt to sell the ASL in a very vibrant formula because it will give the opportunity for our players to be playing at another level," Lim told The New Paper in an interview on Monday.
"But, in order to do that, we must look at our own league first.
"If our own league is not doing well, then it doesn't make sense for us to send only a small group of players to form a team to participate in the ASL because that will benefit only this small group as opposed to the bigger picture of a more vibrant and successful S.League."
SINGLE STRUCTURE
Lim also raised the possibility of a possible promotion and relegation system by revealing his team are looking into whether the S.League and the NFL could be streamlined into a single structure.
The NFL clubs can also expect more support with the FAS connecting them with potential sponsors and launching administrative and coaching courses.
Lim added: "There is a lot of promise in the NFL.
"If only more can be done for the NFL, you will see a very healthy ecosystem.
"We see one player in Shawal Anuar who came out from the NFL ranks of Keppel Monaco to play for the national team and that is a good trigger.
"In terms of funding, jackpot revenue for NFL clubs may be a good idea to explore, but we should not direct ourselves straight into that initially.
"We will try to help each club find a sponsor, so that they have to show the sponsors their investments are worth it, rather than going through the easy way of jackpot revenue.
"If we do something good for the S.League, we do something good for the NFL, and we see better results in youth development, that will pave the way for a promising start for Singapore football."
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