Kamikaze looks set to enter yet another new phase of rejuvenation. The amateur outfit which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this September has always been open to embrace change and has constantly reinvented itself and its methods to stay afresh and relevant in the amateur football scene. The openness amongst its teammates to change has to be the most important reason why it has 3 teams under the KKZ family, all playing enjoyable attacking football and helping to make Kamikaze a household name in the amateur football scene.
Seniors
One of the biggest changes to the Seniors set-up is the retirement of long-serving forward Victor. The player who holds the most number of appearances and possibly the most number of goals in the history of Kamikaze, leaves the Seniors set-up with 4 Championship titles, 1 2nd place medal and 1 3rd place medal. In his retirement speech, he mentioned 3 areas where the team will have to play special focus on.
1) To always remain a Team of Brothers
2) Brothers who remember that the needs of the team outweighs any personal or individual aspirations
3) Proper structures and processes are vital to ensure our long-term success
The team is also set to lose Shivaanan, as he returns back to Australia after a very successful 2-year stint where he picked up 2 title-winners' medals. In response to this departures, Kamikaze went on yet another successful transfer window, as they managed to sign Oswind Suriya Rosayro on a long-term partnership deal. The former S-league player is the most high-profile signing the team has signed, and the fans are all excited to see how he links up with his close friend and former teammate Mohaan. The team has also made the signing of Sasi a permanent deal. The young starlet who was acquired last season, had his contract made permanent, and this exciting winger looks set to win over hoards of fans with his direct attacking play. Another important addition to the team would be Pirakash, another pacy winger whose biggest strength is his ability to keep things simple and effective. The team also signalled its intent to renew the squad by signing 3 top-keepers in its roster.
Akbar is a name synonymous with Kamikaze as his arrival signalled the first title for KKZ. He was re-signed after a 2-year absence and will be rotated alongside, Karim who is a highly-rated goalkeeper known for his calm and collected style. The team also signed Tamilarasan from NUS who will deputise for Akbar and Karim. In the last season, the keeping area was the only achilles heel for Kamikaze, and by strengthening it, the management has shown its intent in aiming for higher goals.
Juniors
The Juniors are reeling from the expected departure of Shivaanan who is returning back to Australia, as well as the Enlistment of several key players. But the Management of Kamikaze is well-experienced in knowing how to manage NS transitions and with the guiding hands of Nesh and Victor, the Juniors look set to ride through this phase with minimal disruption. The form of new-signing Visnu V2 and Prabhu who has found a new lease of life, has given the managers some form of joy as they are currently 3rd in the table in their AISPORTS league. The juniors do have a keeping conundrum as Apek, their first-choice keeper is currently sidelined with work. However, in his absence, whether the second-choice keeper Pratip can make a claim to be a regular keeper or not will answer the question on whether they will maintain their form in the league.
At the end of the season, the management looks set to redraft the team and stream several players. This news has set hearts reeling in the Juniors' camp as all look set to maintain their form and fight for their place.
Veterans
This area has been of the biggest concern to the Kamikaze Management. Originally formed in 2010, the team was conceptualised with objective of bringing together past KKZ players back into the family fold and create an active recreational team, that would also serve the needs of the organisation as a whole. This team could be used to give some of the Juniors more game time and could also facilitate the rehabilitation process of injured players looking to return to first-team action.
However, it must be said that the idea looks set to have failed in its present form. It is a tough chore just to call up enough players to play a match, and often the team is being supplemented by several first-team regulars who help out by playing two matches in one week. Hence, this is the area, which the management is looking set to focus most of its efforts to rebrand.
With immediate effect, this team will be renamed Kamikaze Rangers 04. The short-term plans would be to gather a team of 11 regulars who will make it for the game week-in week-out. This regulars do not have to be veteran players, and need not have played for Kamikaze previously, although we strongly welcome all former KKZ players to support this initiative. The team will look to have players who are looking to play regular football, but without the pressure of being in a competitive league. Haresh, the manager of the Kamikaze Rangers 04 will also be given full freedom in shaping the make-up of his squad. There is no doubt that he will be up for this challenge and successfully revive this brilliant initiative.
One of the greatest hallmarks of Kamikaze is our ability to keep things exciting. We have always embraced changes and new innovations around us. We will continue in this vein of reinvention and will always be at the forefront of Amateur football. We are not Just a Soccer Team. We are a Way of Life!!!
KAMIKAZE!!!
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