Won Some Florus Some
Grilled's splashing of cash continued unabated, as they laid out a hefty S$9.8 million for Belgian left winger
Florus Romijn, as a counterpart to Künzler. This hit to the club coffers was partly absorbed by the scheduled sale of 30 year-old midfielder
Clark Won, who fetched a round S$6 million from Spanish Division Six side Europa_F.C..
The 22 year-old Romijn is sketched out to take over Superwon's usual berth on the left flank, which appears to have been a recurring gripe with the former Random Curiosity FC man.
"He's never made it a secret that he considered himself a central midfielder, and being shafted out wide after being on the verge of winning his favoured spot stung." a teammate revealed, under promise of anonymity. "The coaches were all for him to stay, but he wouldn't be moved on this point."
As for Florus, this was remarkably a homecoming of sorts, as Singapore football aficionados will recall seeing him zoom about the island as a youngster some seasons back, wearing the colours of Clementi side Complementary Slackness. He left back to Europe to link up with Dutch Fifth Division side North front Hellmond as he was turning 21, but credits Complementary Slackness with launching his career.
"I was a late bloomer with sv ynse, but the coaches over at Slackness were always encouraging." Romijn recalled, his tough guy facade cracking just a bit. "I hear they promoted a season after I left, hopefully I can get this experience I missed out on, with Grilled now."
Romijn candidly admitted that he never felt he fitted in with Hellmond, and after an abortive attempt to reboot his career in Peru with BorrachitoS lasted barely a fortnight, a transfer back to Singapore sounded like just what he needed. Offers came in from fifth division clubs in Germany, Denmark and England - VfR Vorstadt Residenz, Hubbis Køddukker FC and Lily's XI - and Division Four outfit Fred Perrie from his native Belgium, but there was no questioning what Romijn preferred.
Grilled fans were ecstatic at this refreshing of the squad, by all indications, and some were additionally pleased by the increasingly cosmopolitan flavour to it. "Oh, I enjoyed our all-local period, don't get me wrong." salesman Marcus John Phua, 27, said. "But it just feels more... exciting, more
professional, this way."
Over in Italy, Grilled International suffered their first league defeat, as roccoeisuoifratelli cut them down 3-1 at home. G.I. were helpless in the face of the hosts' well-schooled defence, and after goalkeeper
Saswata Shah had to go off with badly bruised ribs in the eighth minute,
Azni bin Raimi's rustiness at the position told.
Bulgarian midfielder
Yavor Babanski would grab an 80th minute consolation after G.I. suffered through a long beatdown, which drew
Tajit bin Mohd to admit that goalkeeper was a role that the club should look at.
