[QUOTE=KingEros;1777925]
For the correctness of educating the younger lot here, I have to state the facts:
1) Malaysia & Thailand used to have an annual big-scale football tournament ... Merdeka Cup & King's Cup respectively
2) High-profile national (& club) teams were invited to participate
3) Sillypore was part of the annual invitee list ... until we were deemed a drag, in terms of raising the standard of play
4) When left out, FAS organised their own competition ... but I'm sure participation was not restricted to regional teams only (eg Australia, European club sides, etc)
I specifically remembered a walkout led by Malek Awab, protesting a dubious referee decision ... think that was before his time with Malaysian Armed Forces in the M-Cup.
Any older Samsters care to verify my memory??
from wat i can recall .. the last merlion cup i watch consist of our neighboring team from M'sia, Qatar, PRK...etc.. Singapore did well in the competition..qualifying from the group stage.
after tat competition was the infamous SEA game 93..whereby Lim Tong Hai was know for the wrong reasons..i.e. scoring 2 own goals....
I have no problems if Sillypore form a team completely with talented players from Tekong, Ubin, Sudong, Senang, Pawai, Blakang Mati, Brani, Bukom, Semakau, Jong, Pau ... or even Christmas Island. Get my point?? 
precisely...but wif a small population, lacking in facilities, small league, lack of finance and others contributing factors..we cant seems to build a soccer team with 100% Singapore born players...
why i think tat French team is justified..is because the teams r consist of early immigrants from French colonies to France, they r born and breed in France ..even though their ancestry routes goes all the way back to those African, Carribean countries...
even the dutch team have players (Ruud Gullit) uhailed from Suriname..an ex Dutch influenced countires...they r immirants to Netherlands and they born and breed in Netherlands..
their purpose of immigrating is not for footballing reasons.. but to escape poverty...
IMHO, it's not the numbers that count ... Japan, Poland or Portugal are all equally guilty.
Take the Middle East countries' policy of "hiring" world-class African long-distance runners in their colours for example ... you think how many more countries in the World are richer than Sillypore & therefore would be the first to successfully "buy" their first Olympic Gold medal??
singapore can try to win Gold medals by attracting foreign talents..but at the end of the day..how will others see Singapore....
tat is y during the recent Asiad swimming event..i was rooting for PRC..and when Tao Li beaten the PRC swimmer for the gold...i felt a sense of injustice for the Chinese...