Lessons from South Korea & Brazil vs Japan

Gavin Lee on fatherhood & coaching

Should kids pursue football in Singapore?

Is football still a social leveller?

Gavin's ASEAN Championship priorities

Singapore's goal: 2034 World Cup

Has Gavin Lee reached his coaching peak?

Do local coaches need overseas exposure?

Can the Lions unleash the roar in World Cup 2034?

Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.

With the World Cup frenzy gripping nations, the performances of Asian powerhouses and small-population underdogs have sparked a familiar question: What will it take for Singapore to get there?

For the first time in a long time, the conversation around Singapore football feels less about what we lack, and more about what we might yet achieve. Following a historic qualification for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup Finals, the Lions have given a football-crazed nation a renewed sense of optimism. But is this a genuine turning point, or are expectations running ahead of reality?

In this episode, deputy opinion editor Mubin Saadat sits down with Lions’ head coach Gavin Lee. They kick off by extracting lessons from the global stage, analysing how countries with tiny populations are making World Cup history, and what that means for Singapore’s Goal 2034 ambitions. 

They also discuss Gavin’s rapid career rise, balancing brand-new fatherhood with national expectations, and his immediate priorities for the upcoming ASEAN Championship. Finally, Gavin dismantles the ultimate Singaporean dilemma, proving exactly why our youth do not have to choose between academic success and a career in professional sports.

Highlights (click/tap above):

00:19 World Cup 2026: What Singapore can learn from South Korea & Brazil vs Japan  

10:38 Coach Gavin Lee on fatherhood & national team duties

17:44 Should parents let their children pick football as a career in Singapore? 

19:45 With DSA, is football still a social leveller in Singapore?

26:18 Gavin’s immediate priorities for Asean Championship on 24 Jul 2026 

30:44 The goal for Singapore to qualify for 2034 World Cup 

32:07 At 35, has Gavin reached the peak of his coaching career? 

33:58 Do local football coaches need overseas exposure?

Read ST’s Opinion section: https://str.sg/w7sH

Host: Mubin Saadat (mubin@sph.com.sg)

Produced and edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew

Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong

Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wukb

Spotify: https://str.sg/w7sV

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast 

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#inyouropinion

Can the Lions unleash the roar in World Cup 2034?
Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.
With the World Cup frenzy gripping nations, the performances of Asian powerhouses and small-population underdogs have sparked a familiar question: What will it take for Singapore to get there?
For the first time in a long time, the conversation around Singapore football feels less about what we lack, and more about what we might yet achieve. Following a historic qualification for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup Finals, the Lions have given a football-crazed nation a renewed sense of optimism. But is this a genuine turning point, or are expectations running ahead of reality?
In this episode, deputy opinion editor Mubin Saadat sits down with Lions&rsquo; head coach Gavin Lee. They kick off by extracting lessons from the global stage, analysing how countries with tiny populations are making World Cup history, and what that means for Singapore&rsquo;s Goal 2034 ambitions.&nbsp;
They also discuss Gavin&rsquo;s rapid career rise, balancing brand-new fatherhood with national expectations, and his immediate priorities for the upcoming ASEAN Championship. Finally, Gavin dismantles the ultimate Singaporean dilemma, proving exactly why our youth do not have to choose between academic success and a career in professional sports.
Highlights (click/tap above):
00:19 World Cup 2026: What Singapore can learn from South Korea &amp; Brazil vs Japan&nbsp;&nbsp;
10:38 Coach Gavin Lee on fatherhood &amp; national team duties
17:44 Should parents let their children pick football as a career in Singapore?&nbsp;
19:45 With DSA, is football still a social leveller in Singapore?
26:18 Gavin&rsquo;s immediate priorities for Asean Championship on 24 Jul 2026&nbsp;
30:44 The goal for Singapore to qualify for 2034 World Cup&nbsp;
32:07 At 35, has Gavin reached the peak of his coaching career?&nbsp;
33:58 Do local football coaches need overseas exposure?
Read ST&rsquo;s Opinion section:<a href="https://str.sg/w7sH"> https://str.sg/w7sH</a>
Host: Mubin Saadat (<a href="mailto:mubin@sph.com.sg">mubin@sph.com.sg</a>)
Produced and edited by: Eden Soh &amp; Natasha Liew
Executive producers: Danson Cheong and Lynda Hong
Follow In Your Opinion Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:
Channel:<a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt"> https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/wukb"> https://str.sg/wukb</a>
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/w7sV"> https://str.sg/w7sV</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/wvz7" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-stringify-link="http://str.sg/stpodcasts" data-sk="tooltip_parent">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast" data-stringify-link="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast" data-sk="tooltip_parent">https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast</a>&nbsp;
---
Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store:<a href="https://str.sg/icyB"> https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play:<a href="https://str.sg/icyX"> https://str.sg/icyX</a>
---
#inyouropinion

A hard look at the social issues of the month in Singapore. Join ST journalists and other guests as they discuss with Lydia Wong.

Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.

Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: On Wednesdays, The Straits Times takes a hard look at Singapore's social issues of the day with guests.
Produced and edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis &amp; Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.