The last straw for Öhmo came when Grilled were ousted 3-2 by Hattrick all the time in their league opener, and the Swede was persuaded to lay down his coaching duties and concentrate on being a reserve goalkeeper. Popular Argentinean fullback and captain Luis Alcántara happened to have collected his coaching licence, and player power thrust him into the hot seat.

Alcántara steered Grilled to eleven undefeated matches before soon-to-be Cup winners Winning Eleven broke the run with a 1-0 win at The Cooking Pot. It was not before Grilled added eventual S-League champions Team Singapore to their win tally, though, as Johan Dewilde put in an 83th minute winner for a proud victory.

The big story was the Cup, as Grilled drew Joker 9's mortal rival, fellow Geylang giants Carpmael Rovers in the eighth round. The two may not see eye to eye, but they achieved one thing in common as Carpmael's beanpole striker You Ya-Wen's first half booty was too much for the Birds at a bursting Aljunied Court.

History repeated itself in due time, as Grilled could only beat bottom dwellers Bluedragon and Anfield Reds in the latter half of the season. Again they settled nicely in sixth place, but ex-S-League Titus Titanium IV were ready and waiting after their II.2 travails. Not even the benefit of taking it easy in their final matches helped Grilled out of their funk. Titus raced to a three-goal lead, and Jan Langeland's token resistance was snuffed out by the outstanding Zulharisan bin Jantan late on.

Grilled's first friendly cup final ended unpropitiously too, Danish side Breadwood Utd wiping them out 5-1 in the Trinity Cup final. Grilled's only consolation was having attracted Dutch U-20 international Hidde van Liere to their cause, the wing wonder being a part of the brilliant Holland team which reached the U-20 World Cup finals.