S-League 2016: What to look out for With a host of high-prole signings, as well as the return of LionsXII players, this could be one of the most competitive S-League seasons in recent years. The Straits Times looks at the nine competing teams and their prospects. TAMPINES ROVERS • Key signings: Jermaine Pennant (winger), Izwan Mahbud (goalkeeper), Fazrul Nawaz (striker), Shahdan Sulaiman (midelder), Jordan Webb (winger). • Key player: Pennant (left) • Last season: Second The club to watch. Besides Pennant, the Stags are peppered with experienced Singapore internationals. Coach V. Sundramoorthy is heavily favoured to guide them to the title. BRUNEI DPMM ALBIREX NIIGATA • Key signings: • Key signings: None Kazuki Mine • Key player: (striker), Rafael Ramazotti Tatsuro Inui (striker, right) (midelder) Last season: Champions • Key player: • Atsushi Kawata Last season’s top scorer (striker, right) Ramazotti (21 goals) and Portuguese forward Paulo Sergio • Last season: Third (13 goals) are back as DPMM bid The loss of last season’s Player of to become the rst foreign side to the Year Fumiya Kogure will hurt retain the S-League title. However, the White Swans’ bid for an their challenge has been made elusive rst S-League title, after more difcult following the release winning a Singapore Cup and of key imports Boris Raspudic League Cup double last season. and Joe Gamble, owing to a new rule that allows only three foreigners to play. BALESTIER KHALSA WARRIORS FC • Key signings: • Key signings: Syaq Zainal Jonathan Behe (winger), (striker), Ismail Jamil Ali (winger) Yunos, Madhu • Key player: Mohana, Shaiful Miroslav Kristic Esah (defender) (striker, right) • Key player: Behe (above) • Last season: Fourth • Last season: Fifth Emerged as surprise contenders The 2014 champions are last season with 16-goal Kristic. looking like strong contenders While he remains, the loss of again after last season’s stalwarts Igor Cerina, disappointment. Frenchman Poh Yifeng and Ignatius Ang Behe will lead the front means the Tigers will be line while internationals hard-pressed to repeat Madhu and Shaiful will last year’s title challenge. guard the back. HOME UNITED GEYLANG • Key signings: INTERNATIONAL Irfan Fandi (striker), Key signings: Faris Ramli (winger), • Sahil Suhaimi Zulfahmi Arin (striker), Gabriel (midelder), Quak (winger), Khairul Nizam Daniel Bennett (striker) (defender), • Key player: Ken Ilso Faritz Hameed (defender) (striker, right) • Key player: Bennett (above) Last season: Sixth • • Last season: Eighth The Protectors will be hoping With ve former LionsXII players, that Singapore Under-23 player rookie coach Hasrin Jailani has Irfan, national team winger Faris, it all to do to improve on last and former Fortuna Dusseldorf season’s disappointing league striker Ilso can re them into the position. Youth seems to be top half of the table. a key element, with several former Young Lions as well as former Youth Olympic Games players in the squad. GARENA YOUNG LIONS HOUGANG UNITED • Key signing • Key signings: and player: Fumiya Kogure Khairul Amri (midelder), (striker, right) Jozef Kaplan • Last season: (striker), Ninth M. Anumanthan (midelder) Led by veteran striker Amri, the team comprising • Key player: Kaplan (above) mostly Under-21 players will be • Last season: 10th eager to make an impression this The Cheetahs signalled their season as they hope to make intent to improve on last season’s Singapore’s Asean Football bottom-placed nish with top Federation Suzuki Cup squad. signings Kaplan and Kogure, as well as a host of promising young players. Photos: DESMOND WEE, DESMOND FOO, LIM SIN THAI, SEAH KWANG PENG, HAIQAL TAHIR, TNP FILE PHOTOS ST GRAPHICS.