‘We before me’: Lions head coach Gavin Lee on Irfan Fandi omission

SINGAPORE – One name that has been conspicuously missing from the last two Lions squads announced by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) is Irfan Fandi’s.

The 29-year-old central defender has been a regular feature for his club Tampines Rovers in the Singapore Premier League and the Asian Football Confederation Asian Champions League Two (ACL2) this season.

But Irfan – who has 58 caps for the Lions – was not called up to the 23-man Singapore squad named by head coach Gavin Lee for the Sept 24-Oct 5 FIFA Asean Cup in Jakarta.

On Nov 4, Irfan, was once again left out as Lee named his 24-man squad to take on Brazil and Paraguay in friendly matches at the National Stadium.

His last appearance in a Singapore shirt came in August, when the Lions beat Thailand 2-1 in the semi-final, second leg of the 2026 ASEAN Championship. In that tournament, Irfan featured in every game as the Lions went to the last four.

In an interview with The Straits Times on Nov 11, Lee was curiously cryptic when asked about Irfan’s continued absence.

“We always try to speak about players that we call up,” he said. “We want to focus on our camp, but at the same time, the principle that has always guided us is to select the strongest possible team, given what we need in each window.

“And in this window, we’ve decided that this is the strongest squad. But having said that, not just for Irfan, but every other player that missed the call up that has been with us before, the likes of Jared (Gallagher) and Jordan (Emaviwe) and all, the door is always open, right?

“The door is never fully closed because the national team was here long before us; it will still be here long after us. So, the door will never be fully closed for anybody.”

In the middle of the FIFA Asean Cup, a report published online by an alternative news portal alleged that Irfan had committed a late-night hotel curfew breach during the 2026 ASEAN Championship, which ran from July 24-Aug 26.

When asked if he had omitted Irfan to set an example, Lee did not directly address the allegation but said: “Ultimately, for every team and for every organisation in the world, the team standards come first.

“And for us, one of the biggest principles we have is (being the) best teammate because for a team to be strong, for a team to be successful or have a chance to be successful, you need 25 players and staff who are willing to put the ‘we’ before the ‘me’, and so every window, we bring a group of players that, we think, will give us the best chance to fulfil that.”

Irfan declined to comment about the situation when contacted.

When asked by ST if the alleged incident had occurred and if it had convened a disciplinary hearing, FAS said that it does not comment on unverified claims or speculation.

But on the national team selection, a spokesperson for the organisation said: “Every window we pick the best possible players available to us to form the best possible squad.”

World No. 149 Singapore will take on 33rd-ranked Paraguay in the first fixture of the Mizuho Blue Challenge – The Kallang Football Series Singapore on Nov 13, before Japan and Brazil face off in a rematch of their World Cup last-32 clash the next day.

The quadrangular tournament concludes on Nov 17, with Singapore playing world No. 6 Brazil and 17th-ranked Japan taking on Paraguay.

Irfan, who has spent the majority of his club career in Thailand, signed a short-term deal in September to play for Tampines on a contract till December to be match fit for the Asian Cup – which was originally scheduled for January but has since been postponed to December 2027 due to ongoing security concerns in Saudi Arabia.

Irfan’s coach at Tampines, former Lions midfielder Nazri Nasir, said he was “surprised” by his player’s exclusion from the national team.

“Every national team manager has a specific tactical and structural profile they look for when selecting a squad, so I respect the selection process and the decisions made for the national team,” said Nazri.

“That said, from a purely performance-driven perspective, it is always a bit surprising when a player of Irfan’s calibre and international experience misses out, especially given his consistent involvement for us at the highest club level.

“He has been competing week in, week out in the SPL and facing top-tier Asian opposition in the ACL2. When a player is regularly tested at that level and delivering solid performances, you naturally expect them to be in the national team conversation.”

Nazri also vouched for his player’s discipline on the field and said that Irfan’s “work ethic and professionalism have been top-class since day one” and backed him to regain his place in the national team.

“​Irfan has the pedigree, the mindset, and the quality to perform at the international level,” he said.

“My focus is simply to keep supporting him, maintaining his fitness and sharpness, and ensuring he keeps performing for Tampines Rovers. If he continues delivering consistent, high-level performances for us in domestic and continental competitions, his quality will be impossible to ignore for future international windows.”