It would be a bittersweet weekend for 28 year-old Farmer Bunnies loyalist Sunil Patel, who will leave his boyhood club a day after being voted their Player of the Season for the first time. After being encouraged by Dalibor Kostadinović to go on the transfer list, Patel obeyed orders, and duly received a S$5 million offer from Argentine sixth division side Club Deportivo Español de Buenos Aires, which was duly accepted by the Buns.

Patel reaffirmed that he would have preferred to stay and see out his career with Farmer Bunnies, but had been convinced that his departure would benefit the club - though not for footballing reasons. "They're building up a new defence, which I can well believe from what's come out of the academy these past couple of years. It felt wrong to block their progress."

There was, of course, another reason for the move, as uncharitably pointed out on the local football forums. "Patel's pulling close to ninety thousand a week, which is a lot in a club that's not expect to win anything for some time." one commentator wrote, to general approval. "That's like half the club's remaining wage bill by himself!"

Another great defender would become available these few days, as former Birds star Douglas Carapaica was made available by grocinegre, some two seasons after leaving Singapore. Tian Yonghang admitted having second thoughts at bringing the 32 year-old back into the fold, but ultimately sat back as he went to Italian VI.732 club Fantamagic, for some S$4.2 million. Given that Carapaica harbours ambitions of a return to the Panama national team, Fantamagic's system with three at the back does seem a better fit.

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