Changing of a dynasty
- report by our special correspondent

This is football. Manchester United FC is the English powerhouse, but not Leeds Utd nor Newcastle Utd. Great teams build their success on solid foundations. They are always able to cope with transition periods. Afterall, Cantona, Sir Bobby Charlton and George Best cannot play forever. And they always seem to go one further after losing their best players.

Ever since the T-Net Club Premier League started in 2007, it has almost been a 2-horse race between Bukit Merah and MacPherson. The other teams are seen as the bridesmaids, never the bride. Back-to-back championship triumphs by MacPherson only adds more heartache for the boys from Bukit Merah. It is painful to recall the times when the title seemed so near, and yet so far.

However, as the League enters it's 3rd year in competition, those who have been following (it) regularly, looking at the results and standing will be as shocking as seeing Michael Jackson walking along Orchard Road. A mere 6 miserable points, pathetic 10 goals to show and an incredible 25 goals conceded from the 2-time defending champions? (more than the total of 2 previous seasons put together, in 28 games) One began to suspect if their players were hit by the notorious swine flu and were quarantinedin Aloha resort, thus sending out a bunch of 10year-olds to make up the numbers.

Fortunately, the Influenza H1N1 did not hit the T-Net Clubs. The unfortunate part is that MacPherson did not field a team of primary school children. Now, we are looking at a test for a team who, either is still basking in past glories, or a team that will always be considered great. Star players such as Muhd Fairuz (Season 1 Golden Boot winner) and Abdul Razip (Season 2 Player of the Season) are no longer eligible to play due to coming of age. Their trusty younger teammates suddenly found life much harder without their seniors. Just ask Mathan Kumar. With 13 goals tallied in 2008, he failed to register his name in the score sheet in the first 4 matches this year. Succession didn't come as fast as the swine flu did.

Good news for the boys from MacPherson, they did manage to claim all 3 points against Taman Jurong and Bedok last weekend, at Matchday 2. This season could be a testing period for character building though. It has never been club culture to engage teams from the public to compete with others. Does this ring a bell? Sounds like Arsene Wenger (Arsenal FC manager).

Can the boys from the Circuit Road neighbourhood emerge from the shadows of their illustrious seniors and build an empire of their own? Only time will tell. But for this season, a mid-table finish shall be the defending champion's top priority.