Lions captain Aide Iskandar presenting the Asean Football Championship trophy to Guest-of-Honour Mr Abdullah Tarmugi, Speaker of Parliament (centre).

“We have done it again! We are Champions once again of South-East Asia!”

That was the opening statement from Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, Senior Minister of State (Law and Home Affairs) and President, Football Association of Singapore, during the Lions’ victory celebration held at VivoCity the Plaza on Saturday.

Singapore’s largest shopping centre played host to a festive occasion that celebrated the nation’s success of defending the regional crown which they won in 2004.

Nevertheless, even though Professor Ho was pleased with the Lions’ achievements, he was not about to let them rest on their laurels.

The Lions came in style - on top of a huge Hippo Bus!

He asked, “So where do we go from here?”

“We must not only concentrate on the “A” team but also the age-group teams as well. We must also do well in the coming SEA Games as well as the Asian Cup,” he continued.

Professor Ho may have placed high expectations on the Lions’ shoulders but it seemed as though everyone in the team took it in their stride as they enjoyed themselves thoroughly throughout the event.

In the spirit of Chinese New Year, a lion dance performance by Wen Yang Sports Association graced the arrival of our national team.

A lion dance performance by Wen Yang Sports Association graced the arrival of the Lions, who came in style - on top of a huge Hippo Bus led by a group of Harley Davidson riders. The two notable absentees were Mustafic Fahrudin and Noh Alam Shah – both of whom are on an overseas training tour with Tampines Rovers.

After a short introduction by each National team player, a video clip was shown, showcasing the Lions’ recent achievements in the tournament.

Unsurprisingly, the biggest roar of approval came when the clip showed Khairul Amri’s stunner of an equalizer against Thailand that sealed the championship for Singapore.

Khairul Amri (left), with his excited young fans.

National team captain Aide Iskandar was confident that his team would be able to deliver the goods even when the chips were down.

“I am not surprised that we won the trophy for the second time in a row,” he said. “I always knew that we have quality players in the team; therefore the victory did not surprise me.

“We took one game at a time and when we went to the finals, we knew that it was anybody’s game. This time around it was tougher, but in the end, our experience and composure made the difference.

“We never gave up and we had the self-belief to bounce back from 1-0 or 2-0 down. This team can only get better as it consist mainly of young players with an average age of 25,” he continued.

A fan who attended the event also shared Aide’s optimism about Singapore’s chances of retaining the trophy before the tournament started.

The fans braved the heat on a hot Saturday afternoon, to meet their football heroes.

Mr Isnin said, “I was confident that Singapore could win. We have a good Foreign Talent Scheme. An example would be Mustafic Fahrudin – he controlled the midfield brilliantly.”

Mr Sim, an ex-soccer teacher-in-charge, did not share the same optimism though. He said, “Actually, I was quite skeptical of the Lions’ chances. I thought Thailand would be too strong for them in the final. But credit to them nonetheless.”

Following the video screening, Captain Aide Iskandar then presented the trophy to Guest-of-Honour Mr Abdullah Tarmugi, Speaker of Parliament.

After the mandatory tokens of appreciation were given to the respective sponsors and S.League club chairmen and officials, the National team then held an up-close and personal autograph and photo-taking session with the fans – an opportunity which many did not turn down.

Just as how Professor Ho piqued our interest at the beginning of his speech, he also ended it on a sentimental note.

He said, “S.League is the foundation of local football, therefore, I want to personally thank all the volunteers and the fans who have made the league a success over these years.”

Should Singapore have a strong chance of retaining the title twice in a row, Professor Ho knows that the fans play a very important role in this endeavour.

But for now, let’s just taste the sweet smell of success.