Hunt for new Lions head coach down to 5 names, including ex-Tottenham Hotspur assistant coach

SINGAPORE: The hunt for a new national football head coach has intensified, with the shortlist down from 10 names a week ago to five now, CNA understands.

A few candidates – including former Tottenham Hotspur assistant coach Nick Montgomery – are in Singapore for interviews to snag the top job, after Japanese tactician Tsutomu Ogura resigned on Jun 24 due to personal reasons.

His exit left Singapore looking for its fourth national coach in six years. Assistant coach Gavin Lee has stepped in to lead the Lions as caretaker in the meantime.

While the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) has kept its final candidates under wraps, Montgomery and a mystery Spaniard are among those who have been spotted in town for talks.

Montgomery left the English Premier League side in June after a year there, where he won the Europa League. He was previously head coach of Scottish Premiership club Hibernian and Australian A-League side Central Coast Mariners.

The 43-year-old spent most of his playing career at Sheffield United.

The incoming coach will face high expectations from the new FAS Council, led by billionaire Forrest Li who was elected president in April.

Li, who founded tech giant Sea, also owns Singapore Premier League (SPL) club Lion City Sailors. He told reporters last week he hopes that with success on the field, more people will follow local football and that interest will grow.

Singapore are currently 159th in the world rankings.

"We have the best city planning, the best airport, best highways. A lot of things are world-class – why not football?" Li said.

Ogura left Singapore at the top of their third-round Asian Cup qualifying group, with four points after their first two matches and four games left. Finishing top means qualifying