Lions’ Malaysia mauling a ‘reality check’ ahead of Asian Cup, fans need to be realistic, say observers

“I am sure there are many reasons, fatigue, haze etc. But at the end of the day, they are professional footballers who should be expected to perform at a certain standard,” said the 36-year-old.

He added that the statement should not be seen as a “rift between FAS and fans”. Both sides have a close relationship, with the association engaging fans actively in recent months and a SingaBrigade member sitting on the FAS committee, he said.

Mr Ko said that fans are entitled to their opinions and it is down to all stakeholders, including the FAS, to see what lessons can be learnt.

“One thing we can be sure is, fans are ready to be upfront if the team aren’t performing, and the players and coaches have to take those feedback in a constructive manner and remedy accordingly,” he said.

While fans are obviously not happy about the tournament outcome, they should still “temper our emotions in this situation and really get behind the team”, especially with a challenging Asian Cup campaign coming, he said.

Mr Yeo said that the anger and disappointment of fans are understandable, especially after a loss to arch-rivals.

“That’s par for the course. But when emotions have calmed down, I think we should acknowledge that it’s a work-in-progress,” he said of the men’s national football team.

“As fans, we really also need to be realistic. Yes, a couple of good games do not make you good, but a couple of bad games also do not make you bad.”