Phoenixes Claim Leong
Grilled trainee winger Leong Heng Choon will be based in Pasir Ris from now on, after fellow third division side Tampines Phoenix F.C. signed him for a token S$22000 consideration. They have of course been associated with a couple of former Grilled standouts in Chow Ying Lee and Che Harun bin Sabtu, names that the 17 year-old Leong would be only too happy to emulate.
His Chicken Wings scout Lim Hock Puay was convinced that Phoenix had underpaid, though. "It's a total steal, for someone of Leong's obvious potential. He was the best wide player of his year at the academy."
Others were however less certain, with a local fanzine weighing in on Leong's trademark directness. "He has done very well with the benefit of a developed physique, but how far can that alone take him?" the editorial went. "We cannot however deny that he has most of the tools to make it as a combative fullback."
Despite that, Leong was a plunge that FC Seoski (Slovenian Division Five), Spartanos (Chilean Division Six) and kobra spor (Turkish Division Five) were also willing to take, but he saw fit to stay on in Singapore, at least for the foreseeable future.
