Douglas Induction
Hilal Bakhtiar delivered on the first signing of his coaching career, as he splashed S$14 million on 27 year-old former Panama U-20 defender,
Douglas Carapaica. It had not been an easy search at all, admitted Bakhtiar, what with the continuance of Grilled's current dynasty possibly hanging on it - but it would be done, and done well.
Bakhtiar had previously passed on Jānis Olekts for about S$12 million, and while there were murmurs about Voltornino II's S$6 million-rated Hein-Dirk Schattling, the Grilled gaffer was open about his digging about for pedigree for this opening. Serbian Ostoja Dabetić and Swede Per Edvinsson would both transact for over S$17 million, and the Birds would miss out on Pakistani favourite Rizwan Asim, whose employers Los Globos de Belen accepted a S$12.6 million money-up-front bid by Polish sixth divisioners Kolektyw, a steal if there ever was one.
Still, the Birds' main target had always been said to be Palestine 29 year-old Ayman Al-Kaled, who had been highly-recommended by his national youth teammate
Salah Kamel. There would be no lack of serious offers, however, from the likes of HFC Nacional United BG (Slovenian Division Three), Donatellos FC (Norwegian Division Three), DaiLamFC (Vietnamese Division Three), SadaB (Turkish Division Three), Poking (Israeli Division Four), Lidhja-e-Prizrenit (Maldives Division Two) and possibly most prominently, six-time Austrian Bundesliga champions Torpedo Wien Amateure. Estonian II.3 challengers JK Aex would eventually seal the deal at just over S$13 million.
Undaunted at having Al-Kaled snatched from under his nose, Bakhtiar carried on looking, and had Carapaica recommended him by a contact in the Americas. Carapaica made his youth international debut in a 0-2 loss to Syria, and while largely undistinguished as a midfielder in those outings, they did include 5-0 and 2-0 victories over Ukraine and the combined Oceania team.
It has after all been a dream journey for Carapaica, who rose from humble beginnings and an all-but-dismissal from local club XI Wise Monkeys, to gain the support he needed at Independientes FC. There, he improved wildly to the extent that he became the target of a S$5 million bid by Turkey's Die For Metal not yet turned twenty, though he soon moved on to Switzerland's FC Amstel13 after a season and a half. His development continued in a steady manner, and there would be another intra-country transfer in store, to Vasse Union for S$10.2 million.
The fifth division of an European league, respectable as it was, could not fulfil Carapaica's ambitions, and with Gies Beazaer out to slash costs, he together with Polish star Kordian Wielgusiak were informed that they could go. Vasse Union would hardly come out of this poorly, given the price they levied for their Number Seven, and to Carapaica - who prefers to be known by his first name, Douglas - it was just what he needed, to inject new fire into what was becoming a humdrum existence.
"The whole point is to win trophies, and one league title by this stage of my career is frankly underwhelming." Douglas said, through an interpreter. "I would have agreed for next to nothing, really, and was a little worried about the fee that my former club were insisting on. I am just relieved that it was not a problem in the end."
