No youth development, no hunger, no security: The sorry state of Singapore football?

Following comments from former national footballers who said that the present national squad lack talent, readers piped in to offer their opinion on what else makes the football scene weak or “dead” here, from the weather to the administration.

Football was a way out of poverty for some world-class players and even for our homegrown heroes of yesteryears. Nowadays, kids get everything they want, from the latest football apparels to a grandstand ticket for an English Premier League (EPL) match. So where is the desire to go out and prove themselves? MUHD FARIZ

Last time, at void decks of public housing blocks and basketball courts, these were the proving ground for close control in football... you build your skills there and take them to the field.... we all knew, stressing on academic results and restricting access to playing areas, that would eventually kill Singapore football...and that was what happened. CORY TAN

Weather hot, our boys stay in air-conditioned rooms. Weather not hot but raining, also stay indoors. How to get talented players? PL CHAN

Join the Malaysian league again. The Lions can learn what team bonding was like in the 1990s. BUKHARI BIN ISMAIL BUKHARI

Dream on, lah! Restructure and reinvent the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) first. A good footballer goes through three stages: Acquire ball skills by age 15, acquire strong physical fitness by 19 and lastly, the tactical skills (game strategy, positioning etc.). What we have is just a group of EPL wannabes managed by another group of bureaucrats. WEN QING-ZHANG RT

I remember there was a kelong issue in 1994? So perhaps the players then were not so talented after all? How can the ex-players say this of the current team? Even if there is no talent, always bring out the positive in people, seniors! MOHD ROSLAN AHMAD

Hmm, maybe some of these ex-players should become football pundits for Singapore Premier League matches. MOHAMAD SYAHID BIN ARIF

“Style ada, kalah tak apa”. Maybe got football skills, but no football brain. DONALD KOHHN

Change the entire team and the FAS manager all the way to the top. Sorry to say this, but there are those who want to be a star but don’t want to work on fitness and discipline. That’s why foreign coaches leave — because the players cannot take the training. FAISAL PIANIST

For sports, we must grow the talent and interest from young. At the age of 18 or before, these should be their prime years… In China, they recruit young talent at a very young age and train them. So the question is, how much do we want to change to achieve this? Sports is all about hard work and success doesn’t come easy. Years and years of hard work. JASON SHIM

No parents will let their children do sports professionally, especially football, unless the Government has plans for them after their careers come to an end. WILLIAM TAY

Let them train out of Singapore to grow strong. FAS needs to change as well — weak. KIM TAN TAN

There was a reputable foreign coach who came to Singapore to take up a national coaching appointment. Sadly, he rejected the offer and hurriedly left. He said that Singapore can never succeed in football because he saw too many "No Football" signages all over the island. SHAH OMAR

Football has been dead in Singapore for quite some time now. Chance of resuscitation is very low. LIONEL YUNG

There are no incentives to be a footballer plying their skills in the miserable Singapore Premier League. KIAT TIMMY

Try paying players millions of dollars? TAN JWEE SEAH

Hire Jose Mourinho. He is not working now. KEN TAN THEGOAT

*Comments were first posted on TODAY's Facebook page and are edited for language and clarity.