Tsutomu Ogura, orchestrator of Singapore's win against Bangladesh, resigns

Singapore football head coach Tsutomu Ogura has resigned due to personal reasons, ending his tenure just 17 months into a two-year contract. The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) said Ogura needed to return to Japan for pressing matters and that efforts to retain him were unsuccessful.

Ogura, who took over in February 2024, led the Lions to the ASEAN Championship semi-finals and recent wins in Asian Cup qualifiers. Former Tampines Rover coach Gavin Lee has been appointed interim head coach while FAS searches for a permanent replacement. Ogura's departure leaves the Lions at a pivotal moment in their rebuild.

The 58-year-old former Japan national assistant coach was the third consecutive Japanese tactician for the Lions. The others were Takayuki Nishigaya, who was appointed in 2022 and fired in January 2024, and Tatsuma Yoshida, who was appointed in 2019 and quit two years later.

Ogura leaves after having led the Lions to two consecutive wins, a 3-1 victory over the Maldives in an international friendly at home on June 5 and a 2-1 away victory over Bangladesh in an Asian Cup qualifier five days later.

The latter result placed Singapore top of Group C on goals scored, ahead of Hong Kong (four points), Bangladesh and India, who have a point apiece. Only the group winners will advance to the Asian Cup in 2027.

Singapore, who face India in back-to-back matches in October, have never qualified for the Asian Cup on merit, with their only appearance coming as hosts in 1984.