Stop the blame game

Dec 17, 2010

I CANNOT fully agree with Mr Sebastian Tan who put the blame on the players for the Lion's loss to Vietnam in the AFF Suzuki Cup ("Blame the players, not the coach"; Wednesday).

Was it not the coach's responsibility to ensure that the players were psychologically, physically, technically and tactically fit for the competition? If not, why did he not recommend that Singapore pull out of the tournament? Why did he promise that the team would make the final?

I am sure coach Raddy Avramovic has good reasons for his inability to get the team to the level he desired.

I am also sure the players have tonnes of excuses for their inept performance. But they are not really important even though some may be legitimate.

For Singapore sports to progress, the blaming must stop. There is nothing much the coaches and players can do by themselves. It is time for the sports authorities, including the Singapore National Olympic Council, the Singapore Sports Council and the national sports associations to collectively take responsibility.

Lim Teong Chin

[So you blame the sports authorities, the SNOC, SCC and NSA? How is this stopping the "blame game"? Sailing Singapore is an NSA, what responsibility have they got for the football team's shortcomings? And in assuming the coach and players have reasons (or excuses) for their failures, he is absolving them of blame (and so playing the blame game).

Instead of focusing on a specific failure, this idiot wants to expand to generalities. Yes, at generalities, it's everybody's fault. It's a wonder he stopped where he did and did not proceed to blame the govt and the PAP.

But hey, guess what? I'm sure they have good reasons, even legitimate ones for why they are not respionsible for the Football team's poor performance. Like, THEY ARE NOT THE FUCKING FOOTBALL TEAM.

Even if it is true that the sports hierarchy has some responsibility for the failures, the writer has not stated what these are. This forum letter is a waste of time and space. Must be slow news day.]