Stange's U-TURN?

“This is the national team, and this is a qualifying match in which we still have a chance to make the Asian Cup finals,”
“There is no reason for experimentation, we have to go out and make a result.”

- Bernd Stange prior to the match against Syria at Tehran on (TODAY, 15th November 2013)

"We have to be realistic, as now we don't have the strength to qualify for the Asian Cup in Australia at this present moment and I'm still on the lookout for younger players to play the kind of football I want to, like I said before it takes time and it's a long process."

- Bernd Stange after 2-1 win over Syria on 15th October 2013

Barely a month apart and contrasting thoughts from the Singapore national team coach must have a few guys scratching their heads on the actual priority of the German coach.

It was the same man quick to douse the flame after the 2-1 win over Syria at home in October to quash any fantasizing thoughts of heading Down Under next year for the continental gala.

Coach Stange's U-TURN 

And put straight on the record on the same night Stange declared the priority will be the SEA Games in Burma.

Yet, after much publicized displeasure over the omission of key players due to various reasons that left a barely skeletal selection of players, the 65-year-old coach made a surprise U-TURN and harbour the thoughts of making to the Asian Cup proper.

Unfortunately, the Lions met with a disastrous outcome against the same opponents whom they defeated a month ago with 4-0 shutout in the Iranian capital Tehran.

Maybe Coach Stange should name as SEA Games coach instead

The result eventually concluded the remaining qualifying fixtures almost a certainty as "dead rubber" matches after three defeats and a win.

“Our focus is on the SEA Games and then we will prepare the squad to put in good performances against Oman and Jordan next year.”

- Bernd Stange after the 4-0 mauling by the Syrians in Tehran on 15th November 2013

While it is always easy to make another U-TURN at this juncture by re-channel the focus to the SEA Games, but sadly the moment of faux pas will be hard for the coaching panel of the national setup to convince the public of anything positive.