Written by: Muhammad Yazid

Reigning Great Eastern Yeo’s S.League champions Tampines Rovers are set for a busy and exciting 2014 campaign as they will be challenging for honours in both the domestic and regional competitions. Salim Moin’s charges will begin their season by hosting South China AA in the Asian Champions League (ACL) qualifying play-off on 2nd February.

Despite the arduous task ahead of him, Salim is unfazed and believes that they are able to put on a good showing in all competitions that they are playing in.

Retaining the services of former internationals Aleksandar Duric, Fahrudin Mustafic and welcoming local names like hard-tackling defender Shariff Samat and the versatile Ang Zhi Wei, the Stags have also made the best out of filling their foreigner slots.

They have secured the services of Norihiro Kawakami from Geylang International, Paraguayan duo Luis Alberto Closa Gonzales and Roberto Martinez Gamarra and their marquee player Miljan Mrdakovic from Serbia.

“I have a squad full of quality players who can play entertaining football. My two new Paraguayans are ones to look out for. They are creative and love taking shots at goal from a distance, just like me in the olden days,” the former Singapore international pointed out during the unveiling of Tampines Rovers 2014 squad on Thursday evening.

“I would want to try and win all the local competitions, and my target for ACL would be making the group stages,” added the former Woodlands Wellington tactician.

While it may be their first time for some in Singapore, the new foreign signings have expressed their delight in signing for the five-time S.League champions.

“Wherever I go, I score lots of goals and fans expect me to score more than 20 goals!” asserted former Serbia Under-23 international Mrdakovic.

The 31-year-old also has ACL experience, hitting the net twice in six appearances for Chinese Super League (CSL) outfit Shandong Luneng five years back.

Tampines will kickstart their domestic campaign against Home United in the Great Eastern Charity Shield on 21st of February at the Jalan Besar Stadium with kickoff at 7.30pm.

TAMPINES ROVERS SQUAD 2014

Goalkeepers

1) Hyrulnizam Juma’at

13) Ridhuan Barudin

Defenders

3) Jufri Taha

5) Shariff Samat

6) Kunihiro Yamashita (Japan)

7) Shaiful Esah

12) Anaz Hadee

16) Norihiro Kawakami (Japan)

20) Ang Zhi Wei

Midfielders

2) Ismadi Mukthar

4) Fahrudin Mustafic

8) Shahdan Sulaiman

11) Imran Sahib

14) Matthew Abraham

21) Luis Alberto Closa Gonzalez (Paraguay)

Forwards

9) Aleksander Duric

10) Miljan Mrdakovic (Serbia)

17) Jamil Ali

18) Noh Alam Shah

19) Roberto Martinez Gamarra (Paraguay)