Others act, FAS talk

After Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) threaten to throw the Under-23 team out of the SEA Games to be staged in Myanmar and a debate started on what Football Association of Singapore (FAS) is doing, FAS have finally revealed they do have Under-23 internationals lined up as well as even a training tour.

But of course, if one looked at the details it is not confirmed as yet for FAS noted they have to be 'firmed up first'.

This may be the reason why SNOC want to throw football team out of the SEA Games as FAS is clearly treating the preparation as a joke if they are even treating it seriously.

Let looked at some of the ASEAN FAs who have already got into the act like even messy and disorganised PSSI (Football Association of Indonesia).

• Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) announced their friendly games back in March and they are confirmed already unlike FAS ones.
• Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) team is in Europe for their training tour and have already played their fifth match unlike FAS who claimed they are only planning to and have not indicate any place.
• For messy and disorganised PSSI, they have approved a budget of US$1.4million so that they can assembled a team unlike FAS who has no team as yet.
• The funny thing (or not) is even Philippine Football Federation (PFF) who has not send a team to SEA Games for two of the last three editions are preparing better than FAS as they are already looking for players.

The only ASEAN FA in the same shoe as FAS is Football Association of Thailand (FAT) because like our own FAS president, Mr Worawi Makudi focus is clearly elsewhere.

If the TODAY article was what FAS had send to SNOC telling them what FAS is doing (Take note: Any sports seeking SEA Games slot must send a report by June to SNOC on their progress) then do not blame SNOC.

This is the 21th century and in this era, teams are preparing better than ever for it is not like the famous 1950 World Cup match between England and USA where it was noted both team were drinking the night before the match.

Nowadays no teams does that and no matter how much the media claimed that the team is worthy of a gold so they must go, one must note SNOC is not just responsible to football and it has other sports to take into account as well.

Especially when one looked at how other sports are preparing and yet FAS can sit on it buttock and claimed it will lead to a gold is a joke.

One can tell you, other nations media are likely as confident that it is their year and if history is any guide it is the teams who have prepared best that do well.

In World Cup 2006, Italy and France were not favourite and were at best judged to reach the knockout stage yet they went all the way to Final for they had prepared well while big favourite and defending champions Brazil, who had all the stars the media go crazy over, went home in the quarter-final.

It is simple to explain as Brazil treated their training sessions as parties for they invited the public and media to watch them and the Brazilians players then play around to catch media attention instead of training.

As for Italy and France, they went into recluse and prepared for the competition seriously.

So once again do not blame SNOC for if FAS was 'indeed serious' then by now, which is already MAY 2013, they will have a detail plan on what they are doing and not a plan which need to be 'firmed up first'.