'Long overdue': Having 10th Singapore Premier League club a good move, but stability important, say observers

SINGAPORE: Observers have welcomed the possible inclusion of a 10th Singapore Premier League (SPL) club, but emphasised that the new team must be stable and in it for the long haul.

Earlier this week, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) said it was searching for a 10th club to take part in the SPL. The aim is to "raise the level" of professional football in Singapore by attracting top football talent and garnering significant fan engagement, it said.

Their proposal must be aligned with the Asian Football Confederation's club licensing regulations and comply with SPL regulations, FAS added.

Speaking to CNA, football consultant Khairul Asyraf said that the move is "long overdue". Should the right infrastructure be in place, having 12 clubs in the league would be the ideal scenario, he added.

"It's a start to getting into the right direction (of having 12 clubs). So it's long overdue," said Mr Khairul. "We cannot (only) have a very small base of good players if we want to (have) a better national team."

Former footballer Rhysh Roshan Rai said that the addition of a new team could bring with it fresh ideas and a new style of play. It could also provide a platform for more local footballers to enter the league, he added.

This is a sentiment shared by Eddy Hirono, who is a member of the Crew, the fan club of SPL side the Lion City Sailors.

In a smaller league, teams could play as many as four games against opponents in a season, and that could get tiring for fans, Mr Hirono explained.

"From a numbers point of view, just having more spots for local players will perhaps have a longer-term effect of getting more people to see that professional football is viable," he added.

The SPL - formerly the S.League - was officially launched