High On Low
With the supporters largely being resigned to the lack of signings,
Niculae Stanca sent them into a tizzy with the club's largest single purchase since Zhu Chungchun arrived seven seasons ago; the target was Bulgarian Division Four side PFC Thracians' Number Seven
Low Aik Jia, who thereby makes Grilled Birds his fifth club since leaving Sentosa Soccer Club as a seventeen year-old.
Stanca justified the considerable S$6.12 million outlay, paid all up-front, due to the scouts rating Low as one of the best local wing talents of his age group. "There's Tampines Phoenix's Peter Ng, of course, but after that, it's hard to look past Low for sheer potential." Stanca insisted. "Certainly, I have seen few quicker youths."
The Birds had to contend with Spanish Division Six team o0o TeaM OnE o0o for Low's services, but it was not a hard choice for him to make, after he had experienced the spectacle of the higher divisions with current Honduran Liga Nacional team MaS Que PriNgaoS F.C. Also, while Low had enjoyed his stays in Croatia and Italy, the lure of home was ever-present.
"I missed the food badly." he gamely admitted, while posing with the just-vacated Number Eight jersey, selected as his preferred number is held by
Abdul bin Jantan.
The new arrival will cast further doubt on
Shiya Shaahee's future at the club, despite the Maldivian's recent excellent performances on the right, but Stanca hinted that they might both be accommodated, at least for the time being.
"Low is a natural winger, and that's where he will no doubt operate for most of his career, but he's young enough to gain some more versatility too. We will look to improving his inside game for now, such that he'll be a legitimate threat both racing defenders and bringing it into the middle."
