Back In The Thick
Grilled captain
Moey Xin Seng could only hand it to Fadri Grahm, after the Swiss forward's flawless execution. "We have all had great games, but Grahm was something else today. I'm not sure what our defenders could be expected to do, when he's in that sort of mood."
It was the same old story then, as the Birds' fifth straight World Battle defeat was matched by Random Curiosity FC's fifth win, with Falagh Hatami Nia and then Ziad Zahreddine putting down two-time Challenger Cup winners Pantanoso FC, who had committed to a pressing game. Arcturules could not overcome Club America PT, unfortunately, although they did come close to forcing a draw, after Jouko Hyvärinen's late strike on the counter.
On the home front,
Tian Yonghang revealed that former youth team playmaker Wan Loong Chang - now 24 years old - had been offered to the club from troubled Polish outfit Niespodzianka, which the head coach had to turn down due to Wan not fitting into the club's development plans. There would be much interest from Phantasm Hotspurs and a host of other sides, before Danish Division Five club FC Risvig relieved Niespodzianka of him, for S$9.26 million.
"It's painful to have to turn down such talent when we can well afford it." Tian admitted. "What more when it's one of our own, who has won 25 youth caps on the back of his own strengths. However, we can't just rewrite our entire rebuilding schedule for one player, not even one as good as Wan."
Grilled International would somehow find themselves back within touching distance of the league leaders, after a 7-1 trouncing of Maas en Waal United, who had the consolation of opening the scoring through Ditmar Cals. The win sees them just three points off next opponents roter stern ghana in top spot, and two off Al Khanal in second.
"We were never that far off it." International striker
Hardi bin Besar claimed. "A run of good games, and who knows? The title may well be within reach!"
They may have to do much of it without injured captain
Safari bin Hj Jali, though, with the prognosis of Safari's calf issue not having gotten much better over the past week. "He's tweaked it all too often, and he's not getting younger either." club doctor Ian Chuang commented. "A month out may be the best for his future, if the club can afford it."
