‘Pressure is a privilege’: Interim Singapore head coach Gavin Lee ready to make football history with Lions

When Ogura departed in June, Lee was appointed interim head coach.

“When your national team come calling, you don’t say no,” he said. “I don’t think a player would turn down a call-up as well. The opportunity to represent the country is a no-brainer.”

Lee credits Ogura with laying a strong foundation. “It made things very easy for me. He’s formulated a good working group, he’s instilled a style of football that’s not too different from my own. And so it’s just working off it and making sure we do a little bit better.” 

But international football presented unique challenges. 

“You don’t have a lot of time … Players come and you have two decent trainings before you play a game. What magic can you do?” he said.

“So we do as much as we can as the coaching team and the support staff, to try to get everybody on the same page. Consistency definitely helps reinforces the messages.”

Taking the national hot seat, even temporarily, also means dealing with increased scrutiny.

“I cannot control what people say or think. If I try to satisfy everyone, I will have a lot of internal chaos,” said Lee. “The players, the team, the staff, they need clarity. They need a direction. And that is why it’s about focusing on the voices that matter.”