July 22, 2004
Reigning S-League champions Home
United, who already have the league best 2 strikers Egmar
Gonclaves & Indra Sahdan, is hoping to sign Indonesian star Bambang Pamungkas.
Protectors coach Steve Darby has
identified the "Baby-Faced Assassin" as a transfer target for next
season & after having also attempted to sign Indian star striker Baichung Bhutia for next season.
This continued Steve Darby policy of
trying to sign the best Asian players to Home United
The Englishman is currently the leading advocate for Asian players in the
S-league as he feels they offered value for players when compared to European
players.
He feel with
European players used to higher wages, why should he get an average, run of the
mill Englishman when he can get a top South-east Asian player for the same or
even less money.
The Englishman described Bambang as a
magnificent player & one of the players the Englishman is interested in.
Darby first
saw him back in 1998 when
However it will not be all smooth
sailing as the striker wages demand as well as the foreign player quota are
likely to be the key factors in any Home United move.
The 24-year-old Persija
Jakarta striker, currently starring for Indonesia in the Asian Cup, could have
joined Home United back in 2003with the Protectors informed of Bambang's interest through an agent, but his five-figure
salary demand proved a stumbling block.
When asked if there will be too many
strikers with Home United if either Bambang Pamungkas
or Baichung Bhutia move to
Home United is successful.
Darby immediately dismissed the notion as he feels one can never have too
many good strikers as the club can rotate them keeping fresh & fit all for
the challenges.
This season Home
United is involved in 3 fronts in the S-league, AFC Cup & Singapore Cup &with
many members of the Home United squad also international players, it is feared
the number of matches would be too taxing so a bigger with more quality squad would
be welcome next season.