Controversy over Singapore's withdrawal from the Southeast Asian U23 tournament

VAN TUNG

Singapore's online newspaper The Monitor has just bitterly headlined "Singapore is the only Southeast Asian country not participating in the U23 Southeast Asian tournament". In preparation for the tournament taking place from August 17 to 26 in Thailand, the Organizing Committee has just conducted a draw to divide the group with 10 participating teams, without Singapore.

Singapore không dự giải U23 Đông Nam Á. Ảnh: AFC

Singapore will not participate in the U23 Southeast Asian tournament. Photo: AFC

In a recent interview with the Mothership online newspaper in Singapore, Mr. Bernard Tan, Acting President of the Football Association of Singapore (FAS), explained that FAS asked the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF) for permission not to participate in this tournament because FAS wanted the players to have time to rest and this was the right decision. He also said that this request was made at the end of April, before the 32nd SEA Games took place.

However, this decision has been criticized by the Singaporean media and football coaches of this country. Singaporean coaches believe that if FAS does not allow the U22 team (which competed in the 32nd SEA Games) to participate in the U23 Southeast Asia, it can also send younger teams such as U19 or U20. In addition, FAS can also re-select U22 players who did not play much in the 32nd SEA Games to combine with players at a younger level.

Singapore coaches believe that by not participating in the U23 Southeast Asia tournament, FAS will deprive Singapore's young players of the opportunity to compete internationally, in preparation for future tournaments. Meanwhile, The Monitor online newspaper reported that even Brunei, Timor Leste and Laos will participate. The U23 Southeast Asia tournament is also considered an important tournament to prepare for the U23 Asia qualifiers and the 19th Asian Games, which will take place from September to October.

Mr. Bernard Tan also just announced that U22 Singapore will not be allowed to participate in any more international tournaments until the technical assessment of the failure at SEA Games 32 is completed and until U22 Singapore is strong enough.

At the recent SEA Games 32, U22 Singapore was eliminated early with the bottom position in Group B, earning only 1 point. This team had the only draw with U22 Laos with a score of 0-0 and lost 3 matches against U22 Vietnam, U22 Thailand and U22 Malaysia. Especially the heavy 0-7 loss to U22 Malaysia in the last match made U22 Singapore receive a lot of criticism from fans as well as domestic media.

At the U23 Southeast Asian tournament, defending champions Vietnam are in Group C with the Philippines and Laos, while host Thailand are in Group A with Cambodia, Brunei and Myanmar. Indonesia are in Group B with Timor Leste and Malaysia. The top three teams in each group will advance to the semi-finals along with the best second-placed team.

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