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| Coach Ogura having some thoughts at a training session |
Is it too early to conclude anything from just two games after
Tsutomu Ogura took charge?
Probably in some cases but judging from the sentiments from the public, things are looking positive when fans lauded the performances of the Singapore national team after their two recent World Cup Qualifying matches against China.
Despite having
drawn 2-2 at home before losing 4-1 away to the Chinese, the Lions put up spirited displays against the team that is ranked 88th on the FIFA ranking (as of the time of writing).
The wild celebration ignited by Jacob Mahler's equaliser at Kallang on 21st March was matched by the fist-clenching moment for the soft penalty given to the Chinese in Tianjin that resulted in the hosts taking the lead and propelled them to a face-saving win.
Both The
Straits Times and
CNA praised the performance of the Lions despite the defeat in the third largest municipality of China.
"The Lions put up a brave performance against China in the Group C World Cup qualifier in Tianjin but were ultimately undone by a controversial second-half penalty and wayward defending as the hosts clinched a 4-1 victory." wrote the broadsheet in their post-match assessment.
Meanwhile, the Mediacorp news channel opined "It was a scoreline that did not truly reflect a largely gritty display from Singapore, but football is a cruel game."
Such a compliment was rarely heard of during the time of
Takayuki Nishigaya, Coach Ogura's predecessor, who was subjected to intense scrutiny from all parties since his first day in office.
"They (Singapore) make it look as though the Nishgaya era was never there. It was a straight continuation frm (sic) Tatsuma's (
Tatsuma Yoshida, another former Lions coach) last game against Indonesia (in the
AFF Suzuki Cup semi-final in 2021)," said Jason Micheal Lim on the
platform's Facebook page after the Tianjin match, comparing the differences in the style of play devised by the three Japanese coaches
If the present consensus on Coach Ogura is an indication of any kind, it could mean the faith in the Singapore national team can be restored soon if things remain on the right trajectory.
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| The National Stadium with the roof enclosed |
As the start of the Singapore Premier League (SPL) approaches, I am hopeful that the recent performances of the Lions under Coach Ogura will motivate and inspire other eligible players in the SPL to compete for a spot to join the team at Kallang Football Hub for the upcoming qualifying matches in June.
