September 18, 2004

International team youngsters Baihakki Khaizan & Ridhuan Muhammad will link up with Serbo-Montenegrin league champions Red Star Belgrade for a 2-week training stint from September 16.

The trip for Young Lions captain Baihakki & flying winger Ridhuan will be fully sponsored by the Football Association of Singapore and was set up by national coach Radojko Avramovic.

The Belgrade stint comes after a proposed trip to English Premier League side Norwich City was called off due to bureaucratic red tape.

A delighted Baihakki said he was supposed to have gone to Denmark with Lyngby in 2000 but that move was cancelled at the last minute because their coach resigned so he id glad to have the chance to test himself overseas & he have the FAS & coach Raddy to thank for that.

Therefore in Belgrade, Ridhuan & him are going to try their best to learn as much as possible as the trip will also be a good test for him to see if he can make it as a professional overseas.

Avramovic is hoping the trip will rejuvenate the lanky defender's faltering form recently as he had told Baihakki he had not been doing well lately & there are a few things missing from his game so the trip is for the 2 players to open their eyes as to what it means to be a professional player.

From the experience Avramovic want Baihakki to think about what he wants in his playing career.

Red Star, known locally as Crvena Zvezda, won the Serbia and Montenegro league which concluded last month with a 10 point margin over main rivals Partizan Belgrade & both FAS & Avramovicis hoping this is such the first of many future attachments for players & coaches.