Written by: Shawn Lim

With a little more than a month to go before the 2016 Great Eastern Yeo’s S.League season kicks-off, S.League.com takes a look at the ins and outs of the clubs to date.

Balestier Khalsa have allowed Ignatius Ang to join Warriors FC and released a host of foreign players as well.

The Tigers retained defender Ho Wai Loon and goalkeeper Zaiful Nizam, and signed veterans Shah Hirul and Jamil Ali to their squad.

The club also welcomed back its former Prime League captain Syafiq Zainal, who left to ply his trade for LionsXII and Courts Young Lions the past five seasons.
Young Lions have welcomed back veteran striker Khairul Amri to the Jalan Besar Stadium while also securing the services of Jonathan Tan, who leaves Geylang International after two seasons with the Eagles.

Adam Swandi and Ammirul Emmran are the only two confirmed players that the Singapore Under-23 side have retained.

One of the busiest clubs in the transfer market, Geylang International, have also added a couple more new faces to their already exciting squad.

The Eagles have welcomed back veteran striker Indra Sahdan, whose vast experience will be valuable to the promising up-and-coming players that the Bedok-based club have signed.

Indra will join the likes of Faritz Hameed, Al-Qassimy, Stanely Ng, Taufiq Ghani, Syazwan Buhari, Safirul Sulaiman, Shahfiq Ghani, Amy Recha, Gabriel Quak, Sharif Abdul Samat, Isa Halim to play for new head coach Hasrin Jailani.

Geylang have also only retained one foreign player – Yuki Ichikawa, while handing new contracts to Hairul Syirhan, Shawal Anuar and Nor Azli Yusoff.
The club also promoted Shafeeq Faruk, Dhukhilan s/o Jeevamani and Brandon Koh to its first-team squad.

The only club to have retain its core players so far is Home United, as the Protectors handed out new contracts to Ken Ilso, Abdil Qaiyyim, Azhar Sairudin, Hyrulnizam Jumaat, Eko Pradana, Sufianto Salleh, Redzwan Atan, Shahrin Saberin, R Aaravin, Song Uiyong, Ang Zhi Wei and Zul Fairuuz.

Home have also added the likes of Khairul Nizam, Faris Ramli, Zulfahmi Arifin, Aqhari Abdullah, Sim Teck Yi and Mahathir Azeman to its squad in recent weeks.

Last season’s cellar-dwellers Hougang United have made a couple of astute signings as they seek to avoid a repeat of their 2015 campaign.

The Cheetahs have signed Jozef Kaplan, Nazrul Nazari, Raihan Rahman, Khairulhin Khalid, Samuel Benjamin and welcomed back centre-back Wahyudi Wahid.

Hougang also shocked the local football community after successfully securing the services of Fumiya Kogure, last season Player of the Year from Albirex Niigata (S).

The new signings will join retained players Ridhuan Barudin, Faiz Salleh, Nurhilmi Jasni, Delwinder Singh, Basil Chan to play for coach K.Balagumaran.

By far the busiest club in recent weeks, Tampines Rovers have made a major revamp to the squad that narrowly missed out on winning the title last season.

The Stags have signed Fazrul Nawaz, Izwan Mahbud, Hafiz Sujad, Afiq Yunos, Izzdin Shafiq, Sufian Anuar and Firdaus Kasman, while welcoming back Christopher Van Huizen.

Fallen giants Warriors FC have added steel and experience to their backline as they looked to patch up a leaky defence, which saw them concede the most number of goals last season.

The Choa Chu Kang-based club have signed veteran goalkeeper Yazid Yasin, commanding centre-back Madhu Mohana, plus full-backs Shaiful Esah, Zulfadli Zainal and Ismail Yunos.

Warriors have also retained players Emmeric Ong, Hafiz Rahim, Shahrul Rayyan and Syaqir Sulaiman.

Photo courtesy of Geylang International FC