It is, ironically, the national sport of a country more obsessed with the dazzling lights of the English Premier League and its European counterparts than its local stable of stars.
And for Singapore’s footballers to shift some of the attention onto themselves, there could not be a better stage than a SEA Games not played on home soil since 1993.
Absolute success in the regional tournament has eluded Singapore, with its highest accolade being a run of three silver medals in the 1980s.
“Expectations will be high in 2015,” national player Gabriel Quak told Yahoo Singapore after a training session at Jalan Besar Stadium last Thursday.
The importance of the next SEA Games has not been lost on current coach Aide Iskandar.
Over a distinguished career spanning 12 years and 121 appearances for the national team, Aide, 38, fought through his share of SEA Games campaigns, but has just one bronze medal from 1995 to show for.
Even as the ex-national captain leads the Young Lions to Myanmar for this year’s edition in December, he is already looking forward to 2015 and has earmarked certain individuals whom he believes will develop into key figures at the next Games.
“I’m expecting players like Shahfiq Ghani to perform at his best (at this year’s Games),” said Aide. “Players like him, Sahil Suhaimi and Iqbal Hussain will represent Singapore at the 2015 SEA Games as well.”
Fortunately for him, these young guns are already aware of the task at hand. “Of course we need to do well on home ground in 2015,” said LionsXII forward Shahfiq.
Team captain Hariss Harun will be 25 at the next Games and thus ineligible to play for the stipulated under-23 tournament. But he is as acutely aware of the two-pronged objective for the squad at this year’s SEA Games.
“We’re aiming to do well at this (year’s) Games,” said Hariss. “As well as prepare for the 2015 Games in Singapore.”
The ex-LionsXII midfielder, who is bound for Malaysian club Johor Darul Takzim next season, highlighted his picks to stand out at the next SEA Games.
“This will be a good experience for guys like Shakir Hamzah, Faris Ramli, Shahfiq Ghani – all good players who are already part of the national team,” he added.
While Hariss and Aide declined to set a specific target for December’s tournament, squad members Quak and Safuwan Baharudin both mirrored Football Association of Singapore president Zainudin Nordin in fixing the final firmly in their sights.
Quak, 22, is another key player who will be ineligible come 2015. As the only Chinese Singaporean member of the national set-up, he recently came under the spotlight over the issue of racial participation in local football raised by Zainudin in October.
Zainudin had called for involvement from more races other than the Malays, who make up the bulk of the football scene in Singapore.
Asked if the racial mix would improve in time for the next SEA Games, Quak said, “For 2015, I’m quite confident you can see more Chinese players playing.”
The LionsXII winger had earlier told Yahoo that he felt “the Chinese community will be watching” him at this year’s SEA Games.
“There will be more eyes on me… on how will I do, can I do them proud (sic),” said Quak. “I’ll just let my feet do the talking.”
Also looking to make his mark is Shahfiq, who bagged five goals in the Malaysian Super League this season and has set a similar target for himself at the Games. He said, “I’m only 21. Why not give it my best, to have a better contract, a better future ahead?”
By the looks of it, it's a future that could bank on whether he and his teammates do Singapore proud at the SEA Games in 2015.
