If you have ever attended or watched a S-league football match, you will definitely have experienced the kind of mind-numbing boredom that is hard to find anywhere else.

But football is not always about 22 men running after a ball. It is also about power, prestige and sometimes, a bit of an ego thing.

And going by the way the election campaign for the leadership of the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) is shaping up, it is likely to trump S-league in terms of its entertainment value, with revelation after revelation coming thick and fast in this fast moving drama of intrigue and innuendos.

It all started with 58-year-old Bill Ng, who is leading Team Game Changers at the upcoming FAS elections, dropping a bombshell revelation on April 13, claiming that he had donated significant sums of money to the FAS over the years without knowledge of its use.

Despite the FAS coming out to clarify, many questions remains unanswered fully as the public continue to scratch their heads over what exactly is happening.

We summarise the questions below, to help everyone make sense of the mess suspense and conflict.

1. Why do the numbers not tally?

Ng: Claimed he had donated $850,000 to the FAS, but did not know what the money was used for.

FAS: In a statement to the media, it rebutted Ng's claims as "baseless and untrue"

FAS stated that Ng donated over a period of a few years:

- $200,000 through a company to the LionsXII

- $500,000 through the FAS to the ASEAN Football Federation's (AFF) Football Management System

- $15,000 through the Charity Golf Day and other events

Doing the math, all this adds up to $715,000, which falls short of what Ng had claimed to have donated.

Questions:

Ng has said that he was not accusing the FAS of improper financial management.

But the disparity in donation figures has not been clarified by both sides. A spokesman for Ng's team said they will refrain from commenting for now.

However, what is even more important but puzzling to the public is what went on behind the scenes over the years that could have contributed to the lingering ill will and distrust.

2. What is the AFF Football Management System?

Three days after the first mention of this system in the FAS's statement, no one seems to have a concrete idea of what the system is, not even the FAS.

As reported in the Sunday Times:

"Little is known about the system - whether it is a software, a physical hardware or an office tasked to promote the game in the region.

FAS and AFF spokesmen would only describe it as "conceived by the AFF with the goal of raising the capabilities and capacities of the member associations and clubs in various aspects of football management".

These aspects include income generation, information technology, corporate governance and facilities utilisation."

In their second statement sent to the media, the FAS had provided a quote which it said was to be attributed to “an AFF spokesman”, part of which addressed the implementation timeline:

"We are in the last phase of the preparations and we expect to launch the system within the next nine to 12 months."

Questions:

FAS has to justify its actions of seeking donations on behalf of a regional body, when it also needed resources to develop the domestic game.

The lack of clarity surrounding the new system and how it will benefit Singapore football directly, are questions that have to be answered, in order to clear up any doubts of mismanagement.

3. Where is former FAS president Zainudin Nordin?

The 53-year-old ex-PAP Member of Parliament who was recently appointed vice-principal of the ITE College East helmed the FAS from 2009 to 2016.

Amidst the claims by Ng and the susbequent rebuttals and clarifications by the FAS, he has kept a conspicuous silence as questions swirl about FAS's management and accountability under his leadership.

So far, he has not given any responses to local media, despite being approached for comments. But a curious piece of information was revealed in the same Sunday Times report: It was Zainudin who had asked Ng to make donations towards developing AFF Football Management System.

"The then-FAS president Zainudin Nordin was of the view that the (Football Management System) programme would also be beneficial to Singapore football.

"As the FAS budget was not able to financially support the AFF on this initiative, he approached Mr Bill Ng and asked if he would be keen to assist the AFF.

"Tiong Bahru FC studied the proposal and was of the view that stakeholders in football, including players, coaches, volunteers, parents and administrators, would benefit from the AFF Football Management System.

"Following this, Tiong Bahru FC decided to support AFF's initiative directly, and offered a $500,000 donation to AFF."

Questions:

Ng had specifically ask the media to "call Winston Lee (FAS’ general secretary)" to check on his donations, and he had made no mention of Zainuddin.

He had also said: "Not the (FAS) council. I believe none of the council knew anything about this. ”"

It is unclear why the information about Zainudin's request for donations was not provided upfront by the FAS in their statement, and why the need to pinpoint him to the media now.

4. What is going on in the FAS?

For any casual observer, it is hard not to conclude that the FAS was a rudderless organization, which did not harness the strengths of its council members under the leadership of Zainudin.

Former national captain Razali Saad had said that despite being on the FAS council, he and other members were seldom consulted for their views.

Despite having several members on his slate who had served on various FAS leadership groups in the past, Lim Kia Tong, the 64-year-old lawyer leading Team LKT challenging Ng, had moved to distance his camp from the previous leadership at FAS.

"The previous FAS president (Zainudin) had his plan and also his leadership style. I will have a very different leadership style, I will work with my team in a consultative way: I will take advice and input, and we will make decisions jointly... but as president, the buck will stop with me."

Questions:

Piecemeal statements and legal threats aside, the latest developments have raised questions about the FAS's decision-making process under Zainudin's watch, his style of leadership and whether there are any other deep-seated issues that have yet to be uncovered.

The Sunday Times reported that Winston Lee will present documents on Monday to Lim to explain the donation and the Football Management System.

If so, why is the FAS not explaining to the public or reaching out to Ng, who made the donation and is also contesting in the upcoming election?

5. Should the FAS clear the air before the elections?

The only reasonable answer is yes.

The ongoing uncertainty is likely to impact the elections on Apr. 29, if clarifications are not made fully and transparently on legacy issues.

Team LKT could be adversely affected if they are perceived to have participated in the decision-making of the previous leadership team.

Questions:

With the election more than 10 days away, there could well be more drama ahead.

And both teams contesting the elections have their work cut out to convince the 44 affiliates who hold the votes.

Which team will the affiliates trust? Will there really be a new beginning?

The upcoming election cannot come any sooner, as Singapore football needs to end its search for the bottom to get back on its way up.

Related articles:

Football leadership elections: Power, “donations” and much intrigue revealed in the campaign

2 uncles fighting to be S’pore’s new football chief, one accusing the other of ulterior motives

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