\n<\/p>\n
The qualification will give local football an immediate lift, though sustaining momentum is the real challenge.<\/p>\n
Rai said that in the short term, brands and sponsors will likely pay more attention and put more resources into local football, as the national team\u2019s success could draw \u201cmore eyeballs\u201d.<\/p>\n
Kadir Yahaya, football director of Unleash the Roar! – a national project aimed at improving Singapore football – said the achievement generates confidence that the country “deserves a seat among Asia’s footballing elite”.<\/p>\n
“Qualification for the Asian Cup will bring some positivity to Singapore football, strengthen belief and help build partnerships with various stakeholders to further improve the sport,” said Kadir, a former national footballer himself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“What the Lions did yesterday will hopefully help set the foundation for a new dawn of Singapore football.”<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, FAS president Forrest Li announced that the team will receive around S$2 million (US$1.53 million) for their achievement in Hong Kong.<\/p>\n
But other than the financial boost from the success, the intangible impact could be bigger.<\/p>\n
The feat by the Lions will also inspire children and football fans to look up to a new generation of football heroes and aspire to be like them, said Rafi.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor those who play football, representing Singapore should be the ultimate goal,\u201d said Rafi, who had looked up to football players in the 70s and 80s on his way to becoming a national player in the 90s.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to really cultivate this attitude in the younger ones.\u201d<\/p>\n
But more important is to sustain the momentum for years to come. Sasikumar recalled the same feeling of jubilation and hope when Singapore won the Tiger Cup in 1998, where he scored the match-winner.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven with the success of 1998, we should have leapfrogged and should have gone to the next level, but we didn\u2019t,\u201d he said. \u201cI hope we don\u2019t make the same mistake \u2026 this is a beautiful opportunity to take Singapore football to the next level.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said that the Asian Cup qualification is proof to those who doubted that progress in Singapore football is possible.<\/p>\n
He looked back to the goal to get Singapore to the World Cup by 2034, which was announced in 2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody laughed, and everyone said we can\u2019t even get to the Asian Cup, but we have,\u201d he said. \u201cSo what’s next? Now the narrative has changed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Practical as Singaporeans may be, he hopes this achievement will convince more people – \u00a0from parents to policymakers – that the game is worth believing in.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is on another level, higher than what we have ever achieved,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow parents may think that it is worth sending their children to training, and the people in charge will put more resources into the game.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n