Sundram answerable for Lions’ poor showing

I agree with national football coach V Sundramoorthy that his boys did well. They worked hard, tried their best and followed his instructions to a T. He must therefore take responsibility for the Lions’ poor showing.

As caretaker coach, it was his choice of players, tactics and playing philosophy that were taken onto the field.

His defensive tone and lashing out after the game suggests that he knows this, though he may not have acknowledged it explicitly (“Toothless Lions crash out of Suzuki Cup”; Nov 26).

A game can be lost or won owing to lapses or to luck, but a team can also be set up in a way that makes them vulnerable to such factors, which was what I believe happened here.

Perhaps the pressure to prove himself deserving of the national coaching job was instrumental in opting for the approach that had brought him success in the Malaysia Super League with the LionsXII.

His defensive tactics and negative play then did not win him many admirers among fans and opponents alike, but dissenters were silenced because results were favourable.

The Football Association of Singapore must soon decide on the type of playing philosophy it thinks is best for the development of Singaporean football, which in turn will decide whom we choose as coach.

Do we aspire to be like Thailand or even Indonesia, which impressed despite not seeing international football action for over a year owing to a Fifa ban?

But if we are satisfied with where we are now, then I congratulate Sundram on his pending appointment.