The Future In Sight
After some worries about whether the National Youth League would be forced to wind up after 27 seasons, Chicken Wings head trainer Kwek Shi Wee was pleased to announce that the show would go on, with Kampong FC's Backyard Kids and Colombian guests Primines FC replacing ArseViKids and Germany-based LR Archiv Bambinos for the new incarnation of the series.
"It was a bit sad when we heard that ArseVikings were winding up their U-20 side, but we can also recognize how this might make financial sense." Kwek added. "It's been a tough period for new blood to make a living in football, what with demand for senior trainees falling off so heavily. Taking ourselves as an example, lads the quality of Teo Heng Wan and Tommy Chi would have been snapped up some years ago, but today, they're still looking for a club. I wish I could do more for them."
Kwek was however eager to forge on. "Dead Poets Society were tremendous this season, but we will be looking to reclaim our crown. We see big things in store for Foo Xin Chao, and Yahya Fareed and Zaman Syarif Thamin IKram are bursting with potential too."
The optimism was much the same with the Rancher Rabbits, even though the Farmer Bunnies' youth team finished a modest twelfth out of sixteen sides in the international Testköz Kupa, won by Hungarian representatives Kunszállás Youth. For one,
Elias van Dal has already offered prodigy Tham Leng Teck a four-season long contract, effective as soon as he turns seventeen.
Rabbits coach Alex Hoy made it clear that they were not gunning for results. "Like the Bunnies, our main ethos is on development, and I think we've been doing quite well in that area, if I do say so myself. Tham aside, we have a number of members we think will make it, with Kwek Yun Jie for one already getting some attention."
