Comment: Thanks for the S$2m, Forrest. Now give the job to Gavin.

There are moments in football history etched deep into Singaporean lore, with each generation able to hail their own team of legends.

The Boomers witnessed Quah Kim Song, Dollah Kassim and S Rajagopal winning the Malaysia Cup for the first time in 1977, the first time the Lions let loose with a roar heard around Malaysia.

Gen X cheered on Fandi Ahmad, Abbas Saad and Nazri Nasir as they won the Malaysia Cup again in 1994, giving us even more bragging rights over our neighbours to the North.

Millennials will fondly recall the AFF Suzuki Cup victory of 2012, with Baihakki Khaizan in defence, Izwan Mahbud in goal and Shahril Ishak as the engine that sent Singapore on their way to the summit of Southeast Asian football.

But a new generation of heroes has emerged to give Gen Z Singapore a moment of sporting brilliance that might be our best one yet.

Famous night at the Kai Tak Stadium

On the night of Nov. 18, 2025, the Lions fought back from an opening Hong Kong goal to claim a famous 2-1 win, sending the team to the prestigious Asian Cup for the first time since 1984.

Back then we were the hosts, and therefore gained an automatic qualification spot.

Today, the Lions have qualified on merit alone, and thoroughly deserve their spot in Saudi Arabia in 2027.

And in recognition of this achievement, I say give the full-time job to the current interim head coach, Gavin Lee.

Gav-IN

Lee may not be anyone's image of a world-famous football coach. A low-key figure, the BG Tampines Rovers head coach rose to national prominence when he became assistant coach for the Lions.

Ogura would later step down as head coach earlier this year, paving the way for Lee to step up - but only on an interim basis so far.

While such upheavals are never easy to manage in the world of football, Lee was already familiar to the team, and maintained continuity.

More importantly, Lee managed to focus the team on the goal of qualification and clawed his way to famous victories at the raucous, hostile away grounds of the Jawaharlal Nehru and Kai Tak Stadiums.

Some may say the call for Lee as full-time head coach is born out of sentiment and post-match giddiness.

To them, I say there is nothing more real than results, and Lee has delivered.

Lions rejoice

But even the most cold-minded, stone-hearted, pragmatic machine would have been moved by seeing the scenes of jubilation among football fans on Nov. 18.

Under Lee's management, the Lions have already delivered incredible joy to the fans in the heartlands of Singapore.

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From the veterans who remember the Malaysia Cup campaigns to youngsters watching their first match, the Lions' triumph united Singaporeans of all ages and backgrounds.

In this 60th year of our nation's independence, with headlines and parades exhorting the importance of unity, the Lions' victory at Kai Tak feels like the perfect cherry on top of the sundae.

Speeches can convince the head, but sporting glory touches the heart.

Local boy

While the Lions continued their qualification journey, rumours surfaced in July that the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) was on the lookout for another candidate to fill the role full-time.

Names like World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro, Champions League winner Harry Kewell, Australian league winner Nick Montgomery and Asean Championship winner Mano Polking were bandied about.

They all had something in common; fame and success, whether as a player or a coach.

But they also had another thing in common; none of them are Singaporean.

I'm not one to blithely belittle the importance of foreign talent. Lest we forget, the national team itself counts players in their ranks who were born in other countries, including Song Ui Young, who scored the winning goals in India.

But there's something extra special about seeing someone like Gavin Lee taking press conferences and standing on the touchline.

A Singapore success story

Lee is an old boy of Victoria School and Victoria JC. He got his degree in Sports and Science Management, not from an overseas college, but at Nanyang Technological University.

He played for Singapore's youth team and is a contemporary of Hariss Harun and Izwan Mahbud.

Then he decided to go into coaching. And the rest is history.

Lee became the Singapore Premier League's youngest head coach at 28.

He subsequently led Tampines Rovers to a Singapore Cup victory and a second place finish in his first season.

In true Singapore confidence, he told the media before the match that the Lions were going for a win.

"[W]e're here tomorrow night to finish the job, to deliver the performance, and with that, hopefully bring that three points home".

And delivering the performance, he did.

In every way possible, Lee is a Singaporean success story. Supported by the community and rose to the top on his own merit.

While the Lions may not actually win the cup in Saudi Arabia, given the strength of other teams like Qatar, Japan and Australia, I know that I will be cheering them on every step of the way.

And whoever the FAS appoints as head coach of the Lions in that campaign, I know that I will feel just a touch more pride if Gavin Lee is the one to lead them into battle.

FAS president Forrest Li has already acted with admirable generosity, announcing a S$2 million payout for the Lions in light of their historic achievement.

The only way he can top that (no, not by giving S$3 million) is to appoint Gavin Lee the head coach of the Lions on a permanent basis.

For your consideration, President Li.

Top image by Mothership.