National team captain Aide Iskandar has signed a two-year deal
with Geylang United, the club confirmed on Thursday.
The announcement concludes a month-long period of negotiations
between both parties, after Aide was released by RHB Singapore Cup
winners Tampines Rovers.
The central defender is the second signing for the Eagles
backline, following the recruitment of Sengkang Punggols Dennis
Lim in mid-December 2006.
Geylang coach Lim Tong Hai was pleased to have secured his former
international teammates signature, which both hope will help plug
the teams defensive gaps as they eye a top-half finish in the 2007
S.League season.
Were definitely looking forward to him strengthening the heart of
our defence, said Lim.
We now have about six players in the defensive department, and
each of them can play in different positions. That is quite a good
number for that area.
Im glad to have finalized the transfer to Geylang, where Ill be
able to work with Tong Hai again, remarked Aide in a separate
interview.
He used to be my colleague on and off the field, and it will be a
great experience for me to work with him again. He has drilled
discipline into a much-improved Geylang team in the last few
months, and I hope to help him take it further by being a leader in
his team.
Aide will be facing a different challenge at the Bedok-based club,
after winning glory on numerous occasions with Home United and
Tampines.
Having spent ten years with the Protectors since the S.Leagues
inauguration in 1996, he then moved to Malaysias Johor FA before
becoming a mid-season signing for the Stags last year.
With two S.League titles and five Singapore Cup final victories to
his name in that time, Aide will be looked upon to bring some of
that winning energy to the two-time league champions, who have
since descended towards the tail end of the table.
The aspirations of the Geylang faithful have been acknowledged by
the 31-year-old, who hinted that his latest club contract could
well be his last in a career that has seen him build as much as
enjoy an abundance of success.
Ive come to Geylang sharing the same ambitions as Tong Hai and
(club chairman) Patrick Ang, he said of his decision to join the
club, which finished second from bottom in 2006.
Theyre trying to rebuild this team into one of the top S.League
sides, and I would love to try my best to bring Geylang back to the
dominating heights they were at before.
Im still feeling good at 31, and I want to have a good
performance for Geylang in the next two years. From there, though,
Ill see how it goes, depending on whether I can keep my body
injury-free.
I play as a sweeper, and thats one role where it helps getting
older and wiser. I have to take care of my body and be careful,
though, and if I do things right and help bring the club to
success, I can then end on a high.
Aides arrival coincides with the exit of S. Rajendran, who had
handed in a transfer request in December after the club had
initially stated he would be staying.
The centreback, who had joined the Eagles at the start of 2006
after an impressive spell at Balestier Khalsa, missed the middle
portion of the season through injury and could only feature in half
the clubs games.
Also leaving the club is long-serving second-choice goalkeeper
Faizal Ali, who is taking time out of football to treat a
persistent back injury.
Faizal played in just two S.League games this season, appearing as
a substitute for Hassan Sunny against Tampines and SAFFC.
We sat down with Rajendran and had a talk, where we told him what
we wanted and he told us what he wanted, said Lim as he discussed
the two departures.
Once we all came to an understanding and had all that sorted out,
we came to a decision on what was best for us. That is why we have
parted amicably, although I have no idea where he might be moving
to.
Faizal, on the other hand, has been with us for some time, and
unfortunately his back has been troubling him of late, and he would
like to get that done. That is why we have decided to look for
another goalkeeper to replace him.
We wont be continuing with Faizal; he has been with us on
one-year contracts in the past, so thats ended now. But we have
got Fajar Sarib from Balestier Khalsa to replace him as backup
goalkeeper, and were looking forward to working with him.
Besides Fajar, Geylang have also brought in striker Fadzuhasny
Juraimi from Home United to partner Hafiz Rahim. In addition, Bae
Jin Soo, who joined the club midway last season, will be staying
for 2007.
The Korean, who featured as striker when he first turned out for
Paya Lebar Punggol in 2005, has since been converted into a
right-sided midfielder, where he has stood out in the Eagles last
few matches last season.
Bae can expect some competition for his first-team place from Lau
Meng Meng, who is on the verge of being promoted from the clubs
Prime League squad as he turns 24 later in the year.
Lau is one of just two players not eligible to stay as a Prime
League squad member due to age restrictions, the other being
left-sided midfielder Che Mukammil, who can also play in
defence.
With a surfeit of options on that flank, Lim is uncertain whether
to offer Che a senior contract with little guarantee of him seeing
action at S.League level.
Meng Meng will probably sign senior terms with us soon, but Im
still in the midst of talking to Che, he said.
Part of that is because I have two guys on the left already,
namely Syed Thaha and Razali (Johari). If I sign Che, Ill have
three on the left, which is a bit questionable.
Having one fellow play with two sitting on the bench is a bit
awkward, so I still have to talk to Che about it and see how he
feels.