Dugyala Fortune
Grilled Birds have always followed the careers of their former trainees with interest, and for one of them - 23 year-old Raghavan Dugyala - this has translated into a considerable windfall. Formerly a defender with the Wings, Dugyala had been reassigned as a goalkeeper after starting out with Italian club Mental Hearts, and his rise in that role has been nothing short of meteoric. His latest move, from Polish fifth division FC Ohio Tarnowskie Gory to former Greek national champions Argoporiakos, would be for S$21 million... with the Birds taking a 2% cut.
"Well, it looks like not only has Ragha succeeded beyond all reasonable expectations, he's done it in an unexpected manner too." his former scout Mok Feng De smiled. "From a sweeper bombing forward - with two hat-tricks to his name - to a top goalkeeper. I suppose there are some who can do it all."
Grilled were active in the transfer market themselves too, with
Hilal Bakhtiar confirming that they had been in dicussions for fresh talent, chief amongst them Red Eagles Saxony FC's Kwek Seng Ying, seen by many as a creative attacker very much in the mould of a young
Chu Xin Lee. The deal evidently didn't come through, however, with rumours of there being a behind-the-scenes shakeup at the club.