September 6, 2004

It will be remembered as a sad day in local football scene as local S-League clubs were dealt a double slap in the face at the monthly club chairmen's meeting.

At a closed-door session at Khatib Camp, the S-League Strategic Business Unit (SBU) announced that Singaporean clubs will receive $540,000 in basic subsidies next year - a 10 per cent reduction from this year's $600,000.

Ironically though, as most S-League chairmen geared up to receive less money, they were left shocked when it was also announced that the plan for foreign clubs Sinchi & Albirex Niigata to receive funding had been foolishly & stupidly approved (The shit ideas SBU come up with & this is the worst as I am now involuntary funding foreign clubs youth development when Singapore own youth development need the money as well)

The news comes despite past assurances by the S-League SBU (They have now shown themselves to be lairs) that foreign clubs would not eat into the financial pie.

The amount awarded to each foreign club will be determined by the number of years they have stayed in the S-League. A foreign club will receive $80,000 in their first year, with an annual increase of $20,000 (Another cock idea as foreign clubs get an increase every year while local clubs are not even assure of that)

This latest development seems to contradict the S-League SBU's past assurances that foreign clubs will not compete with local clubs for resources.

It prompted one irate S-League club chairman to say the local clubs were assured that foreign clubs would be self-sufficient, & that locals clubs can enjoy a bigger slice of the financial pie so why are they (the foreign clubs of course) eating into the share now?

Another chairman also resort saying the foreign clubs knew what they were getting into before joining the S-League so why are they (the foreign clubs of course) asking for funding now as this money would be better used to help needy clubs clear their debts.