SINGAPORE: When he held his first training session with the Singapore national team shortly after being appointed in June 2019, Japanese head coach Tatsuma Yoshida felt a key quality was lacking.
Up against four sides who had all qualified for the previous edition of the Asian Cup, the Lions went toe to toe for most of the matches, notching wins against Yemen and Palestine.The 2-1 victory against Yemen in particular was notable as it was Singapore’s first away win against Middle Eastern opponents in more than 10 years.
Tatsuma Yoshida during the Lions' match against Solomon Islands at the Singapore Sports Hub on Jun 8, 2019. “It doesn't matter, for me . I understood that the public .... didn't know me. sure, I’m not famous in the whole wide world, in Japan, most people do know me.” he said. The Japanese tactician has also tried to get his team playing the way he wants them to. This means possession football, pressing, and getting on the front foot, he noted.
Both have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Suzuki Cup postponed twice - pushed back from November 2020 to April this year, before another announcement pushed back the tournament further to the year end.As a result, the Lions did not play any international games in 2020. While things in Singapore are “comfortable”, Yoshida said, being away from his wife and two daughters is a challenge.
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