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Mid-season transfers: The revolving door
Tam Cheong Yan
info@sleague.com
Few things stay absolutely static where most things in life are concerned, and the same is true in football. Change is ultimately constant; the only difference lies in how much of an impact these changes will make on the systems they affect.
The passing of the mid-season transfer deadline on 24 July provides a good illustration of this statement. Even as the players deal with an unusually congested July, coaches and managements have had to do some wheeling and dealing, whether to strengthen or consolidate their leading positions, or to inject new ideas and instigate a sharp upswing in fortunes.
In some cases the changes have succeeded; just look at Balestier Khalsa and the new buzz surrounding them in the last week or two. In others the old cliché about not changing a winning team appears to hold sway – and there are quite a few examples of clubs who have adopted that thinking.
But more on them, and everyone else, each in its rightful turn. With all the mid-season deals done and dusted, sleague.com hereby provides a roundup of all the movement that has taken place at each of the twelve clubs.
Albirex Niigata FC (Singapore)
In: Kazuki Yoshino, Naoya Kudo, Kohsuke Watanabe, Jun Kochi
Out: Keisuke Ogawa, Shunsuke Sunaga, Takasuke Goto, Kenta Shinto
Summary: Ogawa and Sunaga have returned to Japan in search of bigger opportunities after serving the White Swans for upwards of 18 months each, and they have been important members of the team to say the least. Former university player Yoshino will find it particularly difficult to fill the void; the inexperienced defender was arguably culpable for both goals in the team’s shock defeat to Balestier Khalsa. Meanwhile, Kochi’s appointment as former goalkeeper coach Shinto’s replacement should help further groom the growing pool of custodians at the club.
Balestier Khalsa
In: Oh Ddog Yi, Jun Jin, Oh In Kyun (all S.League), Shahrul Hamid, Arif Aiman, Jamie Alan Pitt, Safwan Ramlan (all Prime League)
Out: Mushthafa Kamal, Ednardo Moura, Seth Galloway, Ithamar Rangel (all S.League), Bryan Soane, Faliq Sudhir, Fadzly Shah Jahan (all Prime League)
Summary: The changes in foreign staffing have been sweeping, though not total; utility player Julio Eduardo remains despite initial speculation to the contrary. The impact has been evident as the Tigers showed much improvement in their game. Equally interesting has been the promotion of the talented Sahairi Ramri into the senior squad, shortly after his return from national service. Alongside the likes of Syaqir Sulaiman, Anantha Rajan and Jufri Taha, the versatile defender looks set to be part of the future first-team core.
DPMM FC
In: Drazen Govic
Out: Oh Ddog Yi
Summary: Eschewing the opportunity to find local alternatives to their card-prone personnel, the Wasps have instead decided to make a single change to their roster of foreigners. Croatian coach Vjeran Simunic will be particularly pleased with the move, as he has added to his list of compatriots at the club by personally bringing in former HNK Sibenik winger Govic. While Oh Ddog Yi was the man released to make room for Govic in the squad, the real question is who he will displace in the starting eleven.
Geylang United
In: Kim Jae Hong, Adrian Dhanaraj (all S.League), Hassan Aziz, Mubarak Ahamad, Masnashzreen Masturi, Ariff Hamis, Zulkifli Suzliman (all Prime League)
Out: Rickey Harris (S.League), Lloyd Butler, Wahyudi Abdul Wahid, Haziq Hakim, Fazli Ayob, Adam Soephian (all Prime League)
Summary: Not for the first time, the Eagles have implicitly raised their hands and admitted that they erred in their pre-season shopping where foreigners are concerned. Harris might have been a good player in his own right, but he simply never fitted into the plan. Initial signs suggest former Super Reds leftback Kim is, even in his new role as an attacking midfielder. The return of Dhanaraj to professional football after a two-year stint in the aviation industry, meanwhile, makes for curious reading. It remains to be seen if the former SAFFC trainee will make an impact at Bedok.
Gombak United
In: Hamqaamal Shah, Fazrul Nawaz (all S.League), Hasree Zais, Yeoh Han Joo (all Prime League)
Out: Gay Jian Hui, Nazri Jaffar (Prime League)
Summary: The only outfit to have strengthened its senior squad without discarding anyone, club chairman John Yap has been both silent and astute in making his mid-year acquisitions. Hamqaamal’s arrival upon expiry of his Young Lions term has opened up new strategic opportunities in defence, while Fazrul augments an already fearsome attacking line. Their one weak spot could be in central midfield, where the lack of a creative spark could be a concern now that Theerawesin Seehawong the sharp-eyed playmaker has become Theerawekin Seehawong the dogged ball-winner.
Home United
In: Ham Hyeong Kyu (S.League), Kairuldin Ishak (Prime League)
Out: Norikazu Murakami (S.League), Nurhilmi Jasni (Prime League)
Summary: Isa Halim’s move from the Young Lions in April does not count as a transfer-window switch, so the Protectors have really made minimal changes. The one that did happen was an enforced one, too; Murakami’s decision to try out new possibilities in South Africa prompted Ham’s arrival, although PN Sivaji is likely to make greater use of the well-settled Naruphol Ar-Romsawa rather than the Korean in the senior setup. Faizal Samad has meanwhile moved down to the Prime League, where he should get more playing opportunities, after coming on just once as a substitute in the senior setup so far.
Sengkang Punggol
In: Darrel Tan, Nurhidayat Kamarudin, Goh Zhi Hong (all Prime League)
Out: Winston Yap (S.League)
Summary: Yap may not have been formally deregistered, but for all intents and purposes he is no longer at the club, having decided to pursue a career in a different industry. Of course, his exit is insignificant compared to the boardroom revamp that has happened at the Hougang-based club, which had claimed both ex-chairman Ben Lim and former coach Jorg Steinebrunner as casualties. In terms of player staffing, though, few signs of change were observed, although the return of leftback Tan is welcome news to the young Dolphins struggling at the tail end of the Prime League.
Singapore Armed Forces FC
In: Gursharan Singh, Azfar Zainal Abidin, Permesher Singh, Mir Iszunaidi Sukadi, Khairi Khalim, Hafsyar Farkhan Hashim, Lloyd Butler, Rahim As’ari, Khair Azman (all Prime League)
Out: Yeoh Han Joo, Abdil Qaiyyim Mutalib, Shafiq Wari, Hafiz Zubir, Faizal Hendra, Ridduan Shukor, Maziz Abdul Rahman (all Prime League)
Summary: Stability has always been the main buzzword for the defending champions, and so it should surprise no one that apart from Zulfadli Zainal Abidin’s promotion into the senior squad, there are no major changes in Richard Bok’s lineup. Butler’s switch from Geylang United should do little to change the senior squad, which means Aleksandar Duric is likely to continue operating as lone striker. Faizal Aziz has meanwhile admitted defeat in his battle against a serious back injury, which will undoubtedly put further stress on a defensive line already thin on options.
Super Reds
In: Seo Su Jong, Chang Jo Yoon, Kim Jong Hyeon, Kim Jung Wook
Out: Back Dae Hyuen, Shin Seung Ki
Summary: Jeon Kyeong Joon had identified the attacking department as his top priority in the mid-season transfer window, and in bringing Seo back from Ansan Hallelujah and drafting Chang into the squad, he showed how serious he was in wanting to put an end to the team’s scoring woes. Now that Jeon cannot make any more transfers, though, he will have to manage the team very carefully to avoid being hit by long-term injuries, particularly to leading figures Yu Hyun Koo and Yun Bo Young.
Tampines Rovers
In: Nurhilmi Jasni (S.League), Firdaus Jaffar, Gay Jian Hui, Ahmed Fahmie, Rabbani Sudalman (all Prime League)
Out: Firdaus Kasman, Jalil Sayed, Fazil Zailani, Safwan Ramlan (all Prime League)
Summary: Like SAFFC and Home, movements at this club have been kept to a minimum as Vorawan Chitavanich appears mostly satisfied with the makeup of his 19-man squad. A long-term injury to Akihiro Nakamura has proved less than debilitating, and if anything it has given Imran Sahib and Shukor Zailan more opportunities to start in midfield. Khairul Amri’s long spell as a spectator has similarly done nothing to handicap the Stags, although the former “next big thing” will be itching to get back into action fast.
Woodlands Wellington
In: Anthony Klyne Roy, Kamarul Sobhir (all Prime League)
Out: J. Kalaiselvan (S.League), Ng Choon Kiat, Madhu Mohana, Omar Ismail, Fauzi Yusoff (all Prime League)
Summary: Former Singapore international Kalaiselvan’s decision to downgrade to amateur football has led to the only departure in the senior setup at Woodlands, but with the club operating on a tight budget, it was no surprise that no replacement was actively sought. Nenad Bacina thus has a chance to have a look at his Prime League boys in the face of a severe injury crisis; already Zulfadhli Emran, Sim Li Ming and Shaun Tan are among the regular faces appearing on the Rams bench.
Young Lions
In: Fazli Ayob, Abdil Qaiyyim Mutalib, Madhu Mohana, Nazrul Ahmad Nazari, Safuwan Baharudin, Raihan Abdul Rahman, Khalili D’Cruz
Out: Rahim As’ari, Hamqaamal Shah, K. Sivaseshan, Rabbani Sudalman, Erwan Gunawan, Arif Aiman, Azfar Zainal Abidin
Summary: Apart from Balestier Khalsa, the Young Lions have seen the greatest number of changes to their roster. Many of the new faces have already been given a generous sampling of what it is like to play against men almost twice their age – not so difficult when most of the newcomers are only 18 this year. The way they are being groomed at the expense of seniors like Fairoz Hasan and Goh Swee Swee suggest that it is these teenagers who will make it into the Singapore squad bound for Vientiane. Whether they will learn fast enough in the three months of league action left is entirely up to them. |
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