Sengkang Punggol (11th place)
One could probably call 2007 a season of two halves for the Dolphins. Before the July transfer window, everything went well for them; a new sponsor had arrived, they had reached the SingTel League Cup final, and they picked up enough points to match their total the year before. How they then plummeted to a clear second from bottom is anyone’s guess, but the seams are still unravelling following charismatic coach Trevor Morgan’s departure, with chairman David Rowe looking set to follow him out as well.
Top drawer: Ross McKenzie If there was an award for budget buy of the season, the honour would probably go to this man. Having flown in under the radar compared to fellow New Zealander Cole Tinkler, he has proven the biggest positive influence on the team alongside goalkeeper Amos Boon. An overhaul at Sengkang next season means mid-table sides would do well to offer him a good reason to stay in Singapore.
Worth a second look: Farhan Farook
After spending several years bumbling around, the 27-year-old finally came good in the latter stages of this campaign by delivering the goods up front for Sengkang. Ten goals in all competitions would suggest he has found his shooting touch at last, which has apparently put several clubs looking for strikers on alert. The future is his to decide.
Spare a thought for him: Amos Boon Regularly lauded for keeping a brave face for Sengkang when dealing with opposing strikers for the past few years, the experienced goalkeeper has been the epitome of coolness. The extent to which he has been put to work, though, is unreal to say the least, and it is hard not to feel for him whenever he has had to pick the ball out of the onion bag. With a move to eastern rivals Geylang United mooted, he might find himself behind a better backline soon.
Overall Grade: C. The manner of the club’s collapse into obscurity has translated to them dropping a few notches in the grading system, although caretaker coach Saswadimata Dasuki has acquitted himself decently in his few games in charge. A major overhaul is apparently in the works, though, so there might be hope for them yet in 2008.
Singapore Armed Forces FC (Champions)
They were hotly tipped to retain their title this season after retaining the bulk of their squad from last year, and they have definitely delivered, throwing in an RHB Singapore Cup triumph on the side. It has not been an easy ride, though, notwithstanding several heavy drubbings they may have dished out to their local opponents. Aleksandar Duric should be particularly happy this year; he has finally landed the Top Scorer award, and in splendid style too!
Top drawer: Therdsak Chaiman The temptation to simply give the award away to the No.9 was strong, but in the spirit of sharing the accolades around, it would be unfair to overlook Therdsak’s contribution. His spadework for the Warriors has ensured a midfield that purrs to perfection, and his defensive qualities have also come to the fore this year. Retirement from the Thai national team should extend the 34-year-old’s career by another couple of seasons.
Worth a second look: Toh Guo’an At many clubs, being the second-choice goalkeeper means spending most of the time on the bench. If that kind of life sounds easy, Toh is having none of it; 19 starts in all competitions this term should be ample evidence that he has been a very credible alternative to Shahril Jantan. Rigorously trained by former Singapore legend David Lee, the 25-year-old could soon turn himself into a first-team fixture at Choa Chu Kang.
Spare a thought for: Aidil Sharin If the former Singapore international had been hoping for a chance to prove himself with the Warriors, he would probably have been disappointed by his year so far. A total of just eleven domestic starts, most of them in the absence of either Therdsak or John Wilkinson, illustrates just where the defensive midfielder stands in the pecking order. To his credit, he has been professional and dignified in how he has dealt with his fate, giving what is needed of him each time he comes on.
Overall Grade: A. There is something about the Warriors’ game this term that, oddly enough, has made them seem less exciting than they were last season. Perhaps it is their heavy reliance on Duric for the goals, which has limited the opportunities for much of the supporting cast to shine. Apart from that, however, they have often proven themselves as worthy standard-bearers for the league.
Super Reds (12th place)
Any number of extreme adjectives could be slapped on the Koreans’ painful first season in the S.League, but make no mistake – this has been a humbling experience they should not forget. Theirs is a year of winding American soap drama, with even a little-known boardroom battle thrown in at the background. At least give credit to the players and coaching staff who took everything on the chin and lasted to the very end.
Top drawer: Im Su Dong The young goalkeeper may have been part of the leakiest defence in the entire league, but if it was not for his bravery, the Super Reds could have let in even more. His most outstanding game was probably against the Young Lions in September, where he played a crucial role in preserving a clean sheet against the likes of Fazrul Nawaz and Leandro Rodrigues, which earned him the Man of the Match accolade.
Worth a second look: Joo Ki Hwan Of all the mid-season reinforcements to arrive at the club, the centreback stands apart as one of some true quality. The 26-year-old’s ability to organize the rearguard has given some much-needed steel for the side, and he is probably good enough to sign for any other club in the league. Should he decide on a permanent move back to his homeland, though, he has what it takes to carve out a good career as well.
Spare a thought for: Lim Dae Geun The midfielder earned himself a rather colourful record since joining the Super Reds in July, although he would probably have preferred not to. A dismissal on his debut against SAFFC for two bookable offences was coupled with a straight red at home to Albirex Niigata FC (Singapore) that marked the end of his season. Some would call that kind of record commitment; he would probably consider it rather more embarrassing.
Overall Grade: D+. To say they have not fared that well in their first year is an understatement, more so because they are a foreign club. But considering that they, unlike Albirex and Liaoning Guangyuan, were born from nothing, it is perhaps better not to be too harsh. Local MP Er. Lee Bee Wah’s late involvement ensures the club’s continued presence next term; perhaps they will come back a wiser side.
Tampines Rovers (3rd place)
Like Home United, Vorawan Chitavanich’s side ultimately finished the season as the ‘nearly men’, losing out on the title by two points and succumbing in the RHB Singapore Cup final despite leading SAFFC thrice. But the signs of rejuvenation are showing; the inclusion of several youngsters in the side point to an acknowledgement that the old guard won’t be here forever. And at least they have kept up their enterprising standard of play, which has kept things looking interesting for the full length of the campaign.
Top drawer: Noh Alam Shah A controversial clash with Daniel Bennett in the Cup final notwithstanding, 2007 has been a very positive year in the main for the national striker. Seven strikes inside 90 minutes against Laos sealed his place in the history books, while an eight-match scoring streak early in the season also set him up as the main challenger to Aleksandar Duric in the league charts. He will be missed by home-based observers next season, but his faithful fans should wish him all the best while he is abroad.
Worth a second look: Shahdan Sulaiman A key member of the highly promising national U18 team two years ago, the central midfielder has begun to come into his own this season, with an extended run in the starting eleven towards the end of the campaign. What is even more creditable is his lack of jitters, demonstrating his adaptability when moved to the right flank in Ridhuan Muhammad’s absence. Expect more from this still burgeoning talent for years to come.
Spare a thought for: Mirko Grabovac In the end, his departure from a club he dearly loved was unfittingly acrimonious. But there should be no doubt that the striker, even at 36, is still a top act, with 15 domestic goals to add to his already huge collection. Perhaps he should have had more playing time this season to help further the development of the club’s younger players, but with a move to Sengkang Punggol on the cards, his contribution to local football is not over yet.
Overall Grade: A-. The future still looks bright at Tampines, especially with Shariff Abdul Samat’s emergence as a solid defender ready to lead the changing of the rearguard. One lingering worry is chairman Teo Hock Seng’s part in Formula One racing, which could distract him from his football interests. As long as the core members of the club stay around, however, they should be back to winning ways soon enough.
Woodlands Wellington (7th place)
The Rams have never been far away from controversy, and this year proved to be a case of more of the same. But they have finally ended their silverware drought by winning the SingTel League Cup in February, so the season hasn’t been all bad. Also among the memorable moments was a 3-2 victory over Home United in April, as well as their sensational elimination of the Protectors in the RHB Singapore Cup quarterfinals.
Top drawer: Park Tae Won An inspiring presence for Woodlands throughout the season, his creative runs along either flank have been missed each time he was absent from the team. Two injury spells mean Jorg Steinebrunner has been forced to do without his Korean ace for eight games, but the 30-year-old made amends by scoring 15 goals in 29 appearances. Not a bad return at all!
Worth a second look: Yazid Yasin His place in the Rams’ starting lineup appeared to be under threat at the start of the season, but the system of rotating between him and pre-season recruit Fadhil Salim ultimately worked to his benefit. While an erratic Fadhil sometimes struggled to convince, there was no doubting the 28-year-old’s positive influence on the backline. Fending off that challenge should firmly settle the goalkeeping debate at Woodlands.
Spare a thought for: Sazali Salleh After coming close to a national recall at the end of last season, the latest campaign has been a downer for the left-sided midfielder. Injury meant he was robbed of eight games in July and August, but even when he played, he rarely came close to recapturing his 2006 form. Whatever it is that caused him to take his eyes off the ball, he would do well to get back into his groove if he still harbours higher aspirations.
Overall Grade: B. Strip away the overly dramatized episodes, and it should be clear that this has been a steady if average year up north. Given that they were wise not to posture themselves as ambitiously as they had been before, it would be harder to accuse them of underachievement. With Jayadev Unnithan returning to the chairman’s seat for 2008, things should be fine – although Steinebrunner should strive to do more with this side.
Young Lions (5th place)
Having dispensed with the services of several top players, particularly in midfield, the side has had to rebuild for much of this term under new coach V. Sundramoorthy. The former national star’s two-pronged plan to prepare the SEA Games players and develop youngsters on the fringe has seen mixed results, although their eventual league position would probably be appropriately described as ‘decent’. Some have shown glimmers of hope; for many others, however, it has been a less fruitful year on the whole.
Top drawer: Moudourou Moise After suffering something of a dip in form before July, the Cameroonian got his act together again and cemented his place as a key anchor to stabilize the side. He has also kept up his public relations work as well, making himself accessible to his group of personal fans. A shock move to Johor FC means the 22-year-old will not be back until the July transfer window, but there should be a host of clubs clamouring for his signature.
Worth a second look: Shukor Zailan The midfielder’s starting chances were limited due to a preference for the more defensive combination of Hariss Harun and Tengku Mushadad, but whenever he got to play, he offered glimpses of the intriguing. His willingness to play low, long passes has often been wasted by teammates not on his wavelength, but a move to another club more willing to accommodate the former Paya Lebar Punggol man’s vision could see him blossom yet.
Spare a thought for: Sebastian Seah He was banging in the goals in the Prime League for Balestier Khalsa, even going neck and neck with Tampines Rovers striker Ahmed Fahmie at the end of July. Since joining the Young Lions in August, however, the appearances – and the goals – have dried up as his growth was unfortunately stymied. With the Khairul Amri era at an end following this year’s SEA Games, the 20-year-old needs the faith to be given a break at the top level.
Overall Grade: B-. The quality of football on display has been occasionally unappealing, and apart from old hand Moise, the foreigners have rarely looked like an integrated component of the team. Of course, it can be argued that the boys, especially those who are not fixtures in the starting eleven, are still learning, and can only get better. Several major departures are imminent; how the newer faces will fare is for them to decide.
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