SHOULD LEE BE THE NEXT LIONS COACH?

Singapore football - long ridiculed is suddenly front-page news for the right reasons.

- Deepanraj Ganesan and David Lee

Interim national coach Gavin Lee greeting fans at Changi Airport on Nov 19 after the Lions returned home from their historic Asian Cup qualification in Hong Kong. They beat the hosts 2-1 to book their berth for the 2027 tournament.

(ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI)

After the Lions secured their maiden Asian Cup qualification on Nov 18, analysis around what this means for local football is just getting started.

And while the destination is certain, a question mark still lingers over who will be the director in the Lions' dugout in Saudi Arabia in 2027.

Gavin Lee, in his role as interim coach, has helped the team secure the historic feat, with two wins and a draw in three competitive matches.

He has the honour of being the first coach to take the Lions to the Asian Cup on merit. The only other time Singapore took part in the continent's football showpiece was when it was hosted here in 1984.

Having brought them to the Promised Land and secured them a promissory note of around $2 million from FAS president Forrest Li, the question on everyone's mind is if Lee will now be given the chance to lead the team out in Saudi Arabia?

It needs to be said that the Lions did not get here by chance. The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and Lee have had to deal with the cards handed to them.

In June, then Lions coach Tsutomu Ogura of Japan resigned due to personal reasons. While the FAS commenced its search for the next permanent coach, Lee, who had just left Singapore Premier League (SPL) side BG Tampines Rovers after almost eight years, was handed the interim role, primarily due to his familiarity with the team as Ogura's assistant.