Local football fans express their hopes for Singapore football in 2021
As this very difficult year draws to a close, Youthopia reached out to football fans to find out what their wishlist for Singapore football is in 2021.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rampage worldwide, the sporting scene in Singapore was not spared either.
The nation’s only professional football league, the Singapore Premier League (SPL), was halted in March as the country sought to curb the disease. The SPL eventually resumed in October, albeit in a truncated season where teams played just 14 games each.
The Singapore national team also ended the year without tasting any competitive action. The Lions were set to compete in the World Cup/Asian Cup qualifiers and the year-end AFF Suzuki Cup.
But with a new year comes a new hope and Youthopia hear from fans who shared their wishlist for local football in the new year.
Local representatives doing Singapore proud on a regional stage
“I wish that Tampines Rovers will perform well in the ACL (Asian Champions League) as a Singaporean side finally returns to the premier stage in Asia. At the very least, I hope the locals in the team can showcase their talents and show that our boys can mix it with the best.” – Deepanraj Ganesan, student and host of local sports podcast The Final Whistle
“I hope more people will support our local football, for our league to be more competitive. I wish that my favourite club Geylang International will have a good AFC Cup campaign and for the national team to move closer towards Asian Cup qualification too when it resumes.” – Nazhan Achmad, video producer
“Hopefully the national team and Under-22 team can go a step further than their last showing in the Suzuki Cup and the SEA Games. Also, I hope that local teams participating in the AFC competitions represent the league with distinction and place Singapore in the regional football map again.” – Daniel Lau, Lion City Sailors fan
“I hope to see the national team do well and book a semi-final berth at the Suzuki Cup. Also, it would be nice if more younger players were called up to the national team. Additionally, I wish that local clubs will put up a strong display in continental competitions next year.” – Adam Yeo, social worker
“First and foremost, I hope the national teams do well in the SEA Games and Suzuki Cup, with qualification to the knockout rounds in both competitions being an achievement. I also hope for a competitive and exciting league campaign where new stars emerge and for our continental representatives to do well and make us proud! Majulah!” – Eric Teo, National Serviceman
“I’d be pleased to see a good showing from the Singapore national team in the World Cup Qualifiers and take a step closer to qualifying for the Asian Cup.” – Mohamed Khabir, co-host of The Final Whistle
A more vibrant football landscape in Singapore
“I hope to see more sponsors and corporates come forward to show their support for Singapore football. This could in turn help us get to the next level and compete with some of Asia’s best.” – Jun Tan, website writer
“We hope that the Hougang Hools and fans will be allowed to return safely to the stadiums next season to cheer on our players. At the same time, I hope to see Hougang do better and improve on their sixth-placed finish from last season.” – Salihin, IT personnel
“Besides those bread and butter issues discussed daily, I hope to see and hear local football being one of the common topics which Singaporeans mention on a more regular basis.” – Ko Po Hui, blogger
