Han Enlists
Hours after news of Simon's injury broke, Grilled Birds announced that they had dipped in the transfer market for... a defender. Not just
any defender, though - the man in question is 29 year-old former Singaporean international
Han Lik-Tsun, probably smack in his prime and will remain so for several seasons more.
Grilled paid slightly over S$1.8 million for the transfer, though in return Han will take a 20% pay cut to join up with the Birds. Swiss Division Eight side Milazzo-ME were also interested, but the real challenge came from Australian Pacific Premier side Metro FC, who were in negotiations too until the very end.
Han has 11 caps for the full national side and 15 U-20 caps, and was a part of Singapore's 2005 World Cup squad. Unfortunately, injuries against Paraguay and Pakistan limited his effectiveness.
Further back, he was a youth star at now-defunct FC Noble Scarlet, where he won a S$2.3 million transfer to English club The Grim Reapers. He then had extended spells at Dutch club Neverwinning and top Georgian side Barca Tbilisi, where he had several good seasons in the Umaglesi Liga.
A short stay at another Umaglesi Liga club, Tbilisis milani, later, he returned home to Division Three club Callista. After spending slightly more than a season as Callista's main attraction, he went on a European tour, playing at Italian club I Parameci A.C., Finnish club Left Legs and finally Polish club Naprzód Mikolów before coming to Grilled.
Alcántara explained the logic behind the signing: "We always look for value transfers, and Han brings international-class defensive skills and substantial experience to the club for very reasonable wages. We could have gotten a striker, but that would have been a purely stop-gap measure, and we would have to cut one of our current frontmen loose when they recover from injury. Frankly, I believe in all three of them, so that wouldn't have worked."
"With Han here, Grilled will possess one of the very best central defences in the country, with Sulaiman, Talib and Han all no stranger to the top echelons of international football."
"The transfer market is also recovering rapidly, so this may be the best time to buy for a while."
Han's signing following Talib's arrival leaves 30 year-old
Anders Fredgård surplus to requirements, and it is understood that Grilled are looking for offers in the region of S$1.2 million for him.
