By Edwin Pang - Straitstimes.com
SINGAPORE football does not seem to have got off to a good start this year ('15 players left out in the cold' and 'Etoile's exit confirmed'; both on Tuesday).
We may be back in the Malaysian Super League but with one loss, one draw and a win only because of an own goal by bottom-of-the-table Kuala Lumpur, it is a sputtering start at best.
While the Singapore team has been christened LionsXII with its fans being acknowledged as a critical success factor, having seats for only 8,000 at Jalan Besar Stadium means fans can produce only a loud meow instead of the famous old Kallang Roar.
And that is if they can even get into the Lions' den. How are fans going to throw their support behind the team if they have to do so from a neighbouring field watching a large screen, or at home watching the match on TV?
Speaking of the Lions' den, can something be done about the often-criticised 'plastic' pitch?
It may be cheaper to maintain, but looking at the number of players slipping and injuring themselves during the match against Kuala Lumpur, our team, which is already so short on talent, may find itself bearing not just medical costs but also the cost of defeat as its ranks get further depleted.
Maybe it is time to inject more fresh talent discovered in the S-League into the LionsXII as backup - but only if the S-League, which plays the important role of 'feeding' the national teams, does not falter. For, even before its kick-off this season, S-League's popular former champion Etoile has already pulled out.
While local football fans' hope for a large home ground may be realised only in two years' time with the completion of the Sports Hub, hopefully, the Football Association of Singapore will heed the call of its '12th man' - the fans - and act fast and resolutely to address these issue.
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