Coach Switcheroos
Despite all the attention being on Farmer Bunnies'
Vishnu Tallapaka over the past weeks following their sad relegation, it would be Grilled Birds boss and playing icon
Tian Yonghang to step down, some twelve-plus years since first taking the helm as player-coach. This period has seen him transition the club from its S-League-dominating incarnation to yet another new generation of local youngsters, with current core stars such as
Chad Thach,
Lim An Keng,
Chia Kwang Tse and
Mohd Marzuki Khairul all inducted in his first season in charge.
It has been a journey too far even for the 67 year-old Birds legend, however, as Tian admitted that he was completely burnt out. "It was not an easy decision to take by any means - I agonized over it with close friends and family for weeks. All the more with the squad so close to competing again. But it had to be done."
The ever-careful Tian has long prepared for this day, probably to the club's benefit, as he introduced handpicked understudy
Dan Alstani as his replacement. The 56 year-old special personal assistant has shadowed Tian over his entire tenure as head coach, and has in fact been quite overtly tasked with an increasing amount of duties over the past few years. "I wouldn't expect many changes in our footballing approach, or much else for that matter. But Dan is ultimately his own man, so no promises on that end!"
Alstani's first act would be to release the list of squad number movements for the new season, which would be extensive: Veteran midfielder
Teo Chuan Yong relinquished the Number Three he had held for thirteen years, allowing
Hisham Zubari to don it;
Mohd Marzuki Khairul exchanged his Seventeen for Five,
Hwang Teck Fu his Fifteen for Nine,
Phillip Nagata his Twenty-seven for Seven, with former head coach
Tian Yonghang opening up his famous Number Sixteen for a future talent, taking up the Number 76 next to longtime comrade
Moey Xin Seng.
"They're just numbers, but this is intended to more accurately reflect the orientation of the squad." incoming head coach
Dan Alstani explained. "Grilled Birds are a big club whichever way one slices it, and I want to get off the right foot here!"
There would also be a fair number of retirements, with
José Luiz Velho,
Yee Jian Hui,
Radovan Jaška and
Louis Vara hanging up their boots - or gloves, in Vara's case. They would be thanked for their long and faithful service by both head coaches old and new, not that this was that unexpected for the former three, long the wrong side of forty.
As for 35 year-old custodian Vara, he admitted that now being fifth in the pecking order - with a single official substitute appearance to his name after decades at the club - had finally taken its toll. "It's been a stable job, but it's time for a new career before it's too late." He has reportedly just passed his real estate agent examinations, which may be convenient for any new Birds signings requiring a new pad.
