As Tsutomu Ogura reflects on a creditable Asean Championship campaign, the national coach has issued a rallying cry to Singapore's young players: Ditch the niceties and fight for your place.
Moving forward, the Japanese tactician is hoping to see a more competitive atmosphere within the Lions camp, after the 3-1 second-leg loss to Vietnam in Viet Tri on Dec 29 sealed a 5-1 aggregate semi-final exit.
The Lions can take heart from the displays by the veterans such as Safuwan Baharudin and Shawal Anuar, both 33, and Shahdan Sulaiman, 36, during the tournament. It was just the second time that the Lions had reached the semi-finals since they won their fourth title in 2012.
In contrast, most of the younger players in the 26-man squad saw little or no game time. Of those aged 23 or younger, only Lion City Sailors forward Abdul Rasaq Akeem, 23, managed to earn a start.
Young Lions duo Raoul Suhaimi, 19, and Ryaan Sanizal, 22, did not see any action while Jordan Emaviwe, 23, despite impressing in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) with Balestier Khalsa, was fielded for just eight minutes. Hougang United winger Farhan Zulkifli, 22, managed only two substitute appearances.
While Ogura felt that the inclusion of these younger players will put them in good stead for future competitions, the 58-year-old told The Straits Times: "In this competition, our experienced players have been very competitive. Our young players need to have a breakthrough, mentally and on the pitch.
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