Coach Gavin Lee: 'Singapore Not Obsessed with Past Achievements'

Coach Lee states that the Singapore team is not obsessed with their unfavorable historical record against Thailand, and emphasizes that his squad is solely concentrating on the upcoming semi-final first leg of the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026.

Singapore will host Thailand in the first leg of the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 semi-final on the evening of August 15. Ahead of this highly anticipated clash, the historical record does not favor the home team.

The last time Singapore defeated Thailand was 14 years ago. That victory was a 3-1 win at Jalan Besar Stadium in the first leg of the 2012 ASEAN Championship final.

However, Coach Lee does not want the unfavorable head-to-head record to become a psychological burden for his players.

"Numbers provide information, but they cannot control us. If we let those numbers control us, it would be shameful," Coach Lee declared.

According to the Singapore coach, past statistics only help the team better understand the level of difficulty of the challenge ahead.

"For us, it only indicates the kind of challenge the team may face. Ultimately, the only thing we focus on is the next match. That is our responsibility right now.

We are responsible for tomorrow's match and all future matches. Therefore, the only thing we can do is concentrate on what matters most—ourselves and the next game," he said.

Singapore secured a place in the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 semi-finals as runners-up in Group A. Notably, Coach Lee's team drew with both Vietnam and Indonesia during the group stage.

Ahead of the match against Thailand, the coach revealed that the atmosphere in the Singapore camp is both excited and calm.

"The atmosphere is very calm. There is a lot of excitement, but also a lot of composure," Coach Lee shared.

"We are truly eager to take the field in front of a packed stadium. Hopefully, we will put on a good performance and create a favorable situation before traveling to Thailand. The whole team is very focused, very calm, but also full of excitement."

With the two-legged semi-final format, the result at home is especially crucial for Singapore.

A victory over Thailand would give Coach Lee's team a significant advantage ahead of the away leg, and also boost their chances of reaching the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 final.