SINGAPORE (17 March 2023) – Philippe Aw, the head coach of the Singapore Under-22 team, said that the upcoming Merlion Cup will be good for” the players to have this exposure”.
Aw named a squad of 28 players for the upcoming Merlion Cup 2023 with the team set to undergo centralised training from 20 March 2023 onwards.
“It’s good for the players to have this exposure and to test themselves against their peers. Crucially, my backroom staff and I will be able to see how well they cope at the international level as we work towards our SEA Games campaign,” said Aw.
A notable absentee from the squad is Lion City Sailors defender Nur Adam Abdullah, who is forced to sit out for this tournament due to a shoulder injury sustained during a Singapore Premier League fixture earlier this month.
Back after a three-year hiatus, the Merlion Cup will serve as preparations for the upcoming SEA Games 2023 in May.
“The time afforded during the centralised training will be used to ensure we are defensively solid while being effective in possession. It will also be a good opportunity to integrate the players outside of Young Lions and ensure they understand their roles and responsibilities in our game model,” he added.
“Most importantly, we want to prepare the boys so they will put up performances that Singaporeans will be proud of.”
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