Manik Bares Fangs
Youth team games seldom rate a mention on even club webpages, but those who were watching when the Chicken Wings hammered Rob Rangers 8-3 were in agreement that they had just witnessed something very special. 16 year-old pair Santosh Manik and Fang Tong Rong both hit hat-tricks, and scouts are reportedly working themselves into a frenzy to nab Manik if he turns professional in a fortnight, as expected.
"He's a Mohd Safri-level talent, no doubt." independent recruiter John McGraw said. "The only thing against him is perhaps that he's
too rounded, if you can believe that, and perhaps lacks that little bit extra, a go-to move that he can rely on when the chips are down. So far, he hasn't needed it, but this may count against him at the highest levels."
McGraw had a similar assessment of Fang, who has already garnered six goals in his first three official youth league matches. "He's a purer striker than Santosh, probably deadlier, and the two make some pair with Santosh playing off him. It might be just as well for their opponents that Santosh is graduating soon, else there could be more bloodbaths."