Thached By Joy
In a splendid conclusion to the season for
Chad Thach, the 26 year-old won his first national cap in a 1-2 friendly home loss to Greece, lasting 89 minutes before being replaced by GrayWolves FC's Lin Yau Yau. Thach put in a competent shift on the left side of midfield, but Vissarion Samprakos and Thodoris Loukas scored off attacks originating from the other flank; Isaac An got one back for the Lions in the 58th minute, from the penalty spot.
Tian Yonghang regarded this as a just reward for Thach's steady progress. "He might not have been fully appreciated here - I'm sad but not afraid to say - and I believe he has plenty to offer the national setup, in the years to come. The same, of course, goes for some of our other players."
Grilled International would receive a small windfall on their part, as 35 year-old alumni and former Brunei national goalkeeper Emran bin Saiful Azmi moved to Malta Gunners for S$3.2 million, in the twilight of his career. International had already hauled it in from Emran's two previous moves of around S$25 million each, the first to Germany with Fortuna Hummel and then on to a much longer stay with Dutch club fc ohoh, whom he helped bring from the fifth division to the third.
Back to domestic matters, the Birds will face thrice former leaguemates Claseek for the coming campaign, as Arcturules overhauled them 4-3 in the qualifier. This ended Claseek's five-season stint in the S-League, in which they finished runners-up twice. Both Queenstown MZKs and Joker 9 won their relegation games, which leaves Ambush F.C. and Woodlands' War Nation FC as the other new faces.
Farmer Bunnies made a quick return to the familiar environs of III.9, where they will again rub shoulders with the likes of FC Jurong Rovers, Mangrove Pittas, kaloons and Really McCoys. "It's like we never left."
Amirul Jufri Khairil quipped, slightly sarcastically.
Grilled International will at least get a change of scenary in the H.I. V.108, with Austria's FC Inter Ottnang and Israel's hope and love their main opposition for the title, given that the remaining five clubs are semi-professional concerns.
Hardi bin Besar has duly set the title as their target, but the fans remain understandably unmoved.
