Out Of Time
The season-end dinner was more subdued that usual, with a pervasive feeling that the clock is fast winding down on this generation of Grilled's players to make the final step. Not helped by two huge league defeats still being a vivid memory, the club wisely decided to keep the ceremony short and simple.
Unlike previously, there has been no obvious candidate for the Player of the Year, and returning playmaker
Zhao Jing Wei took the honour for his unfailingly consistent performances, with a stretch in the second half of the campaign where he kept the Birds in the chase through sheer drive.
Chow Ying Lee was second with his early free-scoring run, while new signing
Wong Ping Shun placed third with his effective wing play and free-kicks.
Zhao did not put too much stock in the award, though. "As much as I would like to thank the club and fans for this, the only things I am interested in are a return to the S-League, and the Singapore Cup." the ambitious former Chicken Wings star said after the presentation, to applause.
It was the same for the youth gong, which eventually went to a Wings boy once again. Zahin Abdul Ghaffar Farhan was the surprise pick, but word is that not all is well at FC Iversen, who have yet to debut the youngster. Current squad player
Kazuto Hoshi and Oliver Wing rounded out the final nominees.
Niculae Stanca put in a special word for Wing, who scored earlier in the morning, after he came on as an unplanned substitute for the injured Hubert Gum in his last match as a youth player. The victory against Rob Rangers also leaves the Wings four points clear with three games to go in the National Youth League, which puts them in good position to defend their title.
Most of the audience were more interested in how Stanca would plot Grilled's final push, and the Romanian head coach unfortunately did not inspire too much confidence in his assessment. "We know how good Yew Tea and -= Manchester United =- can be, and The Void Deck are outstanding defensively. It is not going to be easy."
Among the promotees, Dream Seals brings a load of history to the league, being one of the oldest teams in the land, as they reach Division Two for the third time. They have never managed to hang on for long, however, and there are few indications that this time will be much different, from analysts' assessment of their squad strength. Midfielders Cem Ali Seren and Ben Pencathlan will have to continue improving if they are to survive.
Robbie Football Club make a comeback after going down two seasons ago, after dominating the likes of BDSM FC and Team Singapore in III.16. Their main weapon has been an impregnable backline the likes of which has seldom been seen in the third division, and a big part of their fate will depend on whether other teams can muster up enough offensive power to break it down.
