Egan To PR4TYN4
There would be one last departure leading into the new campaign, as former Irish international striker
Bernie Egan completed a delayed exit to former Brazilian Copa Rubi winners, PR4TYN4. The Rio Grande do Sul club, currently looking to promote out of Division Five, were seeking the right price for the soon-to-be 35 year-old, after dual eight-digit transfers done for likely new starting forward Walter Guido Olmedo, and Danish defender Ejvind Ernstsen. This prolonged the negotiations beyond the post-season, and finally concluded with a S$3.8 million fee agreed.
Egan in his nine-season stay - after arriving from A.S. Avellana Valle dei Lupi for S$14.8 million - had garnered a host of honours, including three S-League titles, two Challenger Cups, and a Singapore Cup run in which he became the top scorer of the competition, moreover in Grilled's double-winning season. That had him recognized as the Birds' best for that year, all but ensuring his enshrinement by the club's posterity. Otherwise, his 72 goals from 155 appearances would have to be considered respectable, if not particularly exceptional.
Hilal Bakhtiar admitted that he had been slightly torn at whether to let the deal go through. "Egan staying would have helped our squad depth, he's great at coming off the bench and doing a job; the sum we got wasn't that big either. However, I can't deny that we remain with a large number of options, and from a financial planning angle, it made a lot of sense."
The man's own wishes tipped the balance there, with Egan having okayed a move, after discussion with the head coach on his probable utilization and minutes. "It's one thing being a squaddie, but if it's being a glorified reserve, I would rather leave for a club where I get to start more." PR4TYN4's new Number 77 said. "There have been some very good times here, and I will remember them fondly."
Grilled fans were not too surprised by this development, though some would wonder what could have been had he not sustained that serious knee injury against Sol Mar in the Hattrick Masters, right after his breakout Player of the Season term. "He had the world at his feet then." Birds follower Jerald Tang reminicised. "For some months, it even looked like he would be the face of the club going forward. But I suppose it didn't turn out too badly, even then."
Egan's transfer came alongside a number of temporary developmental contracts running out across the Grilled clubs, which had a number of young hopefuls released across the board. These names included Chua Lai Choon, Bobby Siu, Soh Wei Ah, Yeo Rong Soon and Lim Wen Min for the Birds; Aw Kok Li for Farmer Bunnies; and Kefli bin Hj Bahri, Johari bin Hj Maududi Hilmi and Yeo Meng Chi for Grilled International.
