I"ve stopped hoping to be Lions" coach: Fandi

SINGAPORE – Ever since he hung up his boots in 1999, it was always a question of when, not if, Fandi Ahmad would become national coach.

But 14 years on, Singapore’s most famous football son has admitted he has come to terms with the possibility of never leading the Lions.

In fact, when The New Paper visited him at his Seletar condominium last Saturday, he confessed he hasn’t even been thinking about Singapore football’s top job for the past two years.

“It’s been a long time since I thought about being national coach,” said Fandi, who is coaching Johor Darul Takzim in the Malaysian Super League.

“Since I came back to Singapore in March 2011, I’d already told myself to stop hoping (for the opportunity).

“I had the FAA (Fandi Ahmad Academy) and H-Two-O Dream Team to focus on then, and that was the only way I felt I could help Singapore football… by developing young talents.”

Fandi ended his four-year stint coaching Indonesian side Pelita Jaya in November 2010, and then held roles with the Italy-based Geneva International School of Football and Italian Serie B side Vicenza.

He returned to Singapore just a few months later to launch the FAA and lead the H-Two-O Dream Team, and is still involved with both engagements despite his full-time commitments with Johor.

Fandi admitted, however, that he would always be thinking about “what could have been” if he were to call time on his coaching career without ever leading his country.

But he hinted that he was “fed up” with how he has repeatedly offered himself to the Football Association of Singapore (FAS), only to be let down by the lack of a concrete offer.

“Obviously, if you think you have the potential or ability to do the job and you don’t, you will regret,” he said.

“But I think I’ve served well, and I’ve also offered my services enough too.

“Right now, I’m just happy to sit back and watch, as a fan. If the opportunity comes, it comes. If not, it’s okay.

I"ve stopped hoping to be Lions" coach: Fandi