Look Well O Prince
Tian Yonghang reinvested the takings from his sale of Gandhik Chitre and Brian Reddy, and some, into bringing 26 year-old Sri Lankan midfielder
Ananda Hettiarachchi in from Swedish IV.83 club Mickes pojkar. While there were competing offers from Portuguese Division Four leaders Cervejaime FC and Australian III.11 side Cisko FC amongst others, Hettiarachchi would accept Grilled's bid of S$9.2 million and change.
There would be extremely little defiling Ananda's record, as he excelled at Aparigraha FC, the youth division of now-defunct H.A.L club Anuvrata FC, and graduated immediately upon turning seventeen. He moved to Russia's Mosenergo within days, and helped them win their IV.10 league within three years, before being traded to America's Massachusetts Institute of Technology for over S$6.25 million.
Ananda's stay in Massachusetts likewise lasted under three seasons, but it was sufficient for him to be recognized by the national footballing authorities, garnering him four U-20 caps, beginning with a winning 4-3 debut against Cuba as centre forward. Efforts in the U21 World Cup against Israel and Greece (twice) followed, but were unsuccessful.
Still, the budding playmaker would help MIT to two Division Five league titles, which convinced Swedish fifth divisioners Mickes pojkar to lure him back over the Atlantic with S$9.5 million. This, as again, got them a V.50 trophy with their new Number 21 soon specializing at fullback, but Tian saw so much more that Ananda had to give.
"He has always considered the Middle Way between the extremes of attack and defence as his favourite, in his own words." the Grilled boss explained, as to the thoughts of the man affectionately nicknamed "
The Prince" by his Swedish fans. "We agree - this is where he belongs."
Ananda would choose Forty-Eight as his number with Grilled Birds, and will be expected to strike up a partnership with
Hein Thiha Pyae Ko and
Aw Keng Chuan among others, as part of the Birds' midfield evolution. The affable Ananda hardly spoke during his presentation, but one sensed that his beatific smile had already won over many converts.
