PUBLISHED ONNovember 27, 2025 6:44 AMUPDATEDNovember 28, 2025 7:01 AMBYSean LerGavin Lee has been named permanent head coach of the Lions — the Singapore men's national football team.
The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) has given him an 18-month contract.
Lee's appointment comes after he led the Lions as interim head coach to secure a historic Asian Cup qualification with a spirited 2-1 comeback win over Hong Kong on Nov 18.
It will be the Lions' first appearance in the regional tournament since 1984, when they qualified automatically as hosts.
Lee is also Singapore's first permanent local coach since V. Sundram Moorthy, who was appointed Lions' head coach in 2016, stepped down from the role in 2018.
Speaking to The Straits Times (ST) on Thursday morning, Lee said, "Nothing's been signed yet, but to be even considered in the first place, it's a privilege, something I've mentioned many times before, and ultimately, just like when I first started (as interim coach), all I want is the best for the national team and to continue the progress that I think we've made in the last few windows."
"My target? The same premise as when we first started, is to give people a national team that they can be proud of, that they want to come and watch, they want to go and support. And that hasn't changed," he reportedly told ST.
Asked earlier on Nov 19 by the media at Changi Airport after the Hong Kong win if he was interested in the full-time role, Lee remained coy, saying he'd prefer to "soak it all in" and appreciate the moments before looking at the next steps.
"In football, you don't have a lot of happy days to be honest. There are a lot of tough moments," he said.
During the post match conference in Hong Kong, Lee also said he would leave it to the FAS to make a decision that is best for the team and the country, adding that "the national team is bigger than any individual".
Gavin Lee isn't your regular football fan — it's in his blood. His father was also a football coach.
In an AsiaOne interview in 2022, Lee said he decided to go into coaching when it became clear he didn't have what it takes to be a top footballer.
Throughout the interview, it was clear that Lee was self-aware and brutally honest with himself.
"I grew up in football. I always wanted to be in football. And once I knew I wasn't going to be a player, coaching was really it for me," he said.
He went on to become the Singapore Premier League's youngest head coach in 2019, leading BG Tampines Rovers Football Club to second place that year and the next. His team also clinched the 2019 Singapore Cup and made their Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League debut in 2021.
Lee left BG Tampines Rovers to become the Lions' interim coach in June 2025 after former head coach Tsutomo Ogura stepped down for personal reasons.
His first task will be leading the Lions in their preparations for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.
[[nid:725840]]