Edmond Soon
Hidde van Liere's replacement will be the 26 year-old ex-USA U-20 international
Sandy Edmond. The beefy American, while not being nearly as artistic as van Liere was, nor as smooth a dribbler as Ma Dai-Lin was before him, is definitely a step up on both in terms of physical presence. Shattering the usual stereotype that good wingers are small, slinky and slippery, Edmond has been weighed at a considerable 79kg, but is not exactly a slowpoke either. "We have lacked a player of this style for some time, and his raw power will give opponents a new dimension to defend against." Liehner said of his S$4 million acquisition from Fedex United.
Edmond made his United States debut in a 1-4 U-20 World Cup defeat against Bulgaria, but followed it up with wins against Iceland and Tunisia. He then had his most memorable outing in the white and blue of his national side, scoring a brace in the revenge reverse fixture against the Bulgarians, and played his final match for his country in another victory over Iceland.
The Grilled Birds are Edmond's tenth professional club, though his stays at Portugal's F.C.Aikidô and Uruguay's Sanduceros both lasted barely a week. Edmond, a tough Chicago kid, started out with the now-defunct Communist Grass Killers in his home state, but credits his development to the Sayreville Bombers of New Jersey, with whom he gained a national standing. His impressive U-20 performances earned him a S$4 million move to Portugal with SALGUEIROS Forever, but didn't take to his new environment well, and got a S$5.1 million contract back home with Knightz of Lord.
Edmond then got frisky again and scooted off to Brazil, Uruguay and Portugal again for the next season or two, before returning and settling down with Fedex United of Florida, who he helped to a Division Five championship in his first season. Three seasons of stagnation in Division Four followed, however, and triggered his wanderlust again.
