With a golden-hued sky providing the backdrop for training at the Kallang Football Hub, the Lions were being put through their paces on an 11-a-side pitch on Monday evening.
All around them were hoardings, equipment and a temporary roof as construction continued at the new training facility.
Like the site, Takayuki Nishigaya's team are also very much a work in progress.
But the chief architect who started in April 2022 and has about 10 months left on his current deal is convinced that his players are responding to his methods, which include playing "aggressive and progressive football".
Singapore's 158th-ranked national team will get a chance to display their progress in two friendly matches at the National Stadium against Papua New Guinea (159th) on Thursday, before entertaining Solomon Islands (134th) on Sunday.
In an interview with The Straits Times at the Football Association of Singapore's (FAS) headquarters in Jalan Besar, the 50-year-old Japanese said through a translator: "It's not at a stage where it is perfect but everyone is getting the picture.
"Our principle is to grab the ball then grab the goal. There are a few ways to do that, whether it's by counter-attack or with a high press. We are not there yet but we are getting there."
This story is from the June 14, 2023 edition of The Straits Times.
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This story is from the June 14, 2023 edition of The Straits Times.
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