Marketing Blitz is NOW the thing to do...

Skipper Shahril Ishak (left) and Hariss Harun hoisted the AFF Suzuki Cup Trophy 

I may be wrong, but I can't recall and am not sure if the scenes at the Jalan Besar Stadium earlier were something we have not seen for years.

I am not that certain when we were last crowned as ASEAN champions in both 2004 and 2007 and had something like what we saw earlier (I did remember the last victory parade at Orchard Road in 2004 did attract a similar turnout).

However, what that is certain is you don't expect this to happen that often in recent years when Singapore football was in the doldrums.

A snap of the fans who were there to welcome the Lions at JBS

I think that was the first time since my involvement I saw fans and supporters eagerly gathered outside JBS to catch a glimpse of the Lions after the "Victory Parade" to celebrate the Lions' AFF Suzuki Cup triumph.

Armed with their autograph books or another thing that can be scribed onto, these fans stretched their necks high with their smartphones, tablet PCs and digicams in attempts to grab the attention of any player who made their way through the glass lobby.

Isa Halim (left) signs for a fan

Khairul Amri posing with a supporter 

Captain Shahril Ishak smiles for a shot

Shahdan Sulaiman saying "cheese"

One by one with midfielder Isa Halim first made his way out of the building to the excitement of these folks and shortly after which Shahdan Sulaiman found himself at the centre of attraction with hordes of requests to have photos taken outside the normally tepid setting of the lift lobby.

So it was not much of a surprise when this year's AFF Suzuki Cup MVP and Singapore skipper Shahril Ishak emerged from the building that one can be sure the mood outside the ground escalated to new heights.

Have to think of a way to make them "stay longer"

Therefore, it's not hard to tell us that this is the time, the time is now to tap into this newfound popularity and "feel good" factor to launch a marketing blitz surrounding the national players to etch their images, and achievements to the masses out there.

After all, what could not have been a better time than this?