‘Not satisfied’: Singapore football coach Ogura demands improvement ahead of Asian Cup qualifiers

SINGAPORE: As the Lions start a year-long campaign to qualify for the Asian Cup for the first time, head coach Tsutomu Ogura has made several changes to his squad.

Among them, striker Ilhan Fandi has been recalled from Thailand – where he plays for BG Pathum United in the Thai League 1 – to join the national football team’s lineup against Hong Kong at the National Stadium on Tuesday (Mar 25).

It will be their first Group C match of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

As a warm-up, the Lions will play Nepal in a friendly match on Friday.

Ogura told CNA that he is “not satisfied” with the team’s performance despite reaching the semi-finals of the ASEAN Championship late last year, to the surprise of many.

Singapore failed to make the finals after losing 1-3 to Vietnam, who prevailed to become champions.

“We must improve in many things,” said Ogura.

“We are not satisfied. No one is satisfied with (the ASEAN Championship) … if we had (a better) performance, we would join the final, maybe (we would have become) champions.”

The Japanese coach added that the team wants to make history in their upcoming qualifying campaign.

“We are now at zero … It's a zero that needs to become one. It’s very difficult; it's a real big challenge. But starting now, we are challenging (ourselves). The players are gaining motivation,” he said.

Nevertheless, Ogura acknowledged the difficulties they face, given how the games are spaced apart in different months within the upcoming year.

“In each window, we must get points. Only in one year, the result will come, so we will try to base it window by window,” he added.

Ilhan – who missed out on the ASEAN Championship as he had not been released by his club, where he plays with his brother Ikhsan – said he is now eager