Commentary: What the Gavin Lee era of Singapore football demands of us

SINGAPORE: One thing has always struck me about Gavin Lee, the newly appointed head coach of the Singapore men’s national football team. In interviews, he rarely begins by talking about his own achievements. Instead, he starts by thanking others: the mentors who shaped him, the players who trusted him and the staff who worked quietly behind the scenes.

This is not just humility; it reflects an empathy-driven mindset. In a world where head coaches are often expected to be charismatic tacticians or prominent personalities, this grounding in gratitude and community feels refreshingly human.

While Lee’s appointment as national head coach has drawn many positive reactions, it has also arrived in a landscape where scepticism is second nature. Singapore fans have been here before – hopeful, yet wary. Some question whether a young, local coach can shift decades of performance plateaus. Others quietly fear that a new appointment might mean old challenges in a new form.

But maybe the bigger question is not what Gavin Lee can or cannot do. Perhaps the question is: What do we, as Singaporeans, expect of ourselves in this new chapter?

A FOOTBALL NATION IS BUILT BY COMMUNITIES

If there is one lesson that a football study trip to the United Kingdom taught me, it is that a football nation is not built by coaches alone. It is built by communities.

I met fans and academy players of a lower-league club who turned up week after week, even when their team was battling relegation. Pre-match family activities were bustling, from middle school students shadowing the media team like budding sports journalists, to academy players enjoying futsal with the neighbourhood children.

At kick-off, the stadium was packed. They cheered not because their team was winning, but because belonging mattered. 

Their support created an atmosphere of energy and belief. It reminded me that football culture is shaped by people at every level: the physical education (PE) teachers who teach fundamental movement skills, parents who volunteer, grassroots coaches out on the muddy fields, and fans who show up even when the results don't.

Lee often speaks about this ecosystem, and now he stands at its forefront. His appointment may not have been merely about qualifications. It may be a mirror held up to all of us who care about Singapore football.

That experience in the UK reminded me that the heartbeat of football does not start at the national team level. It begins with us. It starts with people who show up, not just when the team wins.

However, showing up has not always been our strong suit. I have seen people hesitate to watch a 7.30pm Lions match yet stay up past midnight for European football without a second thought. I have been in local stadiums where empty seats outnumbered the filled ones.

While it is understandable that Singapore football fans have grown cautious after years of mixed results, it also reveals the gap between who we are today and who we can become if we choose to show up for our own game.

CHANGE BEGINS WITH US

If we want a stronger national team, the responsibility cannot rest solely on the shoulders of one coach or the football association. It belongs to all of us – to the parents who encourage play, to the schools that nurture values, to the clubs that develop talent, and, yes, to the fans who choose belief over cynicism.

It lives in the pub owner who screens local football matches because he knows that atmosphere grows culture. It lives in schools that send students to cheer for the Lions the same way they do for National Day Parade previews and inter-school games.

And it lives in all of us, like you, rounding up your old secondary school friends, pulling on our red jerseys, and deciding that supporting Singapore football is something we do together. Change begins with us.

The next milestone on our football calendar is the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, where the Under-22 squad will kick off their campaign against Timor-Leste on Saturday (Dec 6) before facing Thailand on Dec 11.

While this team are not the senior Lions, showing up for our young players matters just as much. These are the boys who will be carrying our flag in the years ahead, and some of them may well be the names we cheer for at the 2027 Asian Cup. Supporting them now is how we plant the seeds for the future we hope to see.

With the 2027 Asian Cup 13 months away, the matches leading up to it and the tournament itself are opportunities for us to be present, regardless of the results. The journey will not be easy, and supporting the Lions means recognising the effort of everyone involved. It means staying present even when the scoreboard is not in our favour.

As we welcome Gavin Lee into his new role, the real question is: Are we willing to play our part the way other football communities do? Not as critics watching from afar, but as active participants in shaping the football culture we want for Singapore.

The new chapter has begun. The question is whether we are willing to be part of writing it.

Andy Loe is a Singapore sports enthusiast with a background in coaching and student development.