Branbilla Arrives
The S$4.4 million acquisition of 26 year-old
Matthias Branbilla has all but confirmed speculations that long-time servant
Lorenz Paullin is out of the door, given Grilled's tight finances. Word has it that Grilled have tied up a confirmed S$5 million offer for the injured Paullin, who should be leaving The Cooking Pot in a few days.
The resemblance between Branbilla and the outgoing Paullin are more than passing, however - both are pacy Swiss midfielders, and although Branbilla has some way to go especially in his defensive positioning, the five years he has on his older counterpart will take some pressure off Grilled's ageing midfield.
"Branbilla's not much more than a carbon copy of Paullin, but in these circumstances it's a great idea." Grilled fan Lance Ooi, 28, felt. "We're entering the most crucial stage of a genuine title shot, and won't have time to bed in a player with a different style. Paullin would have been on the treatment table until the final game, and it may be too late by then."
Grilled were rumoured to have been looking at a local replacement, but pickings were slim with only Italy-based Lim Aik Yau fitting the bill. His asking price of near S$7 million was too much for Grilled to take, unfortunately. A host of accomplished midfield men including Patrick Bracke, Morten Torp, Toni Usodemar and Giovanni Pisano were seriously considered, but Branbilla had the whole package and a very reasonable price tag indeed.
