FC Matémon Get Helmi
Grilled International's latest transfer saga ended with Belgian Division Six club FC Matémon succeeding in their bid for 17 year-old Hj Helmi bin Hj Mohd Altermizi, which left more than a few other parties disappointed. Hj Helmi had been hailed as one of the best natural sweepers to grace the Busy Bees, and his set of skills translating easily to defensive midfield only meant more opportunities to slot into a new side.
FC Matémon head coach Driekus de Graaff, a former Dutch U-20 star himself, evidently thought his initial haul of five new trainees from a fortnight ago insufficient. He would primarily have to fend off Costa Rican III.6 club FC Albatroz for Hj Helmi, which raised the final price to slightly over S$900,000. FF Fremad (Danish Division Five), Stefan Gunnermo's (Swedish Division Five), Zurtugal (Portuguese Division Six), Los Leones Indomables (Cameroon Division Three) and fc zu hoch (Austrian Division Five) kept their interest up for a long while too.
Hj Helmi had to confess being tempted by an early offer from former Swiss Cup champions Atlético Morelia, who however refused to go beyond S$200,000. Other exploratory bids were made by former Belgian Sapphire Challenger Cup winners racing esen, Bianco e Nero (Morocco Division Five), Fox Kabaty (Polish Division Seven), Dinamo Schnevski, Arkantos Arsenal (both Dutch Division Six), chao (Turkish Division Six), Turbine Ostsee (German Division Seven), Mr. M'squad (Romanian Division Six) and Athletic Club de Kruisweg (Dutch Division Five).
Busy Bees scout Adinath Pant, who recruited Hj Helmi as a fifteen year-old, urged him to keep his head straight. "He's got too much talent to go to waste." Pant said. "We managed to keep him from falling in with the wrong crowd here, but it's up to him now."
The Farmer Bunnies saw a youth player move too, and while Li Siong Hock's free transfer a few miles eastwards to the newly-formed fourth divisioners Singapore Foodies might have been slightly lower-profile, Buns assistant coach Li Aik Meng felt that he had good odds of making it. "Hock's a feisty one, fights for everything. Unless I've been away from the scene for too long, that's just what Division Four calls for."
