Ong Gets Started
Chicken Wings left winger Ong Shun Long went on a free transfer to Italian Division Seven challengers Nutello today, concluding a memorable youth career exemplified by his sizzling hat-trick in a comeback draw against the footballing Indiana Pacers, U-20 side of Polish club Bydgostia Bydgoszcz.
Gifted but ever erratic, Ong gave coaches fits whenever he had one of his bad stretches, which likely factored into the Wings' initial decision not to take him on in favour of the clearly more-stable Ee Chun Jie. Ong had his heart set on the Chicken Wings, however, and soon badgered Tham Beng Li into letting him in.
This is a tack that the chief scout doesn't recommend in general. "We made an exception as he was a borderline case - and it was never about his skills." Tham reflected. "I'm not sure if Ong did absorb much discipline in his time here, but he always had the instincts to make up for it - on his day."
He'll have plenty to work on, though, judging from his indifferent debut against Sardinian soccer, where he found opposing fullback Cristiano Fabris nearly impossible to get past.
