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SINGAPORE: Former Arsenal and Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant said he has agreed terms with Tampines Rovers which will make him the highest paid footballer in S-League history.
An announcement will be made by this week, said the former England Under-21 international.
Speaking to TODAY over lunch at the Zion Riverside Food Centre on Wednesday (Jan 13), the Englishman - whose one-week trial with the Stags ends on Thursday - said he is already looking at various apartments for his new lodging, and his family will visit him on Feb 12. “Everything has been positive since I landed,” said Pennant, who turns 33 on Friday. “I have enjoyed training with my Tampines teammates and learning from the coach (V Sundramoorthy) and chairman (Krishna Ramachandra). You can expect some news either later today or tomorrow.”
When contacted, Tampines Rovers general manager Desmund Khusnin confirmed that a deal is “very close to being completed”.
The former England Under-21 winger also revealed that he has no qualms taking a 70 per cent pay cut from his last drawn salary with English side Wigan Athletic last season to join the five-time S.League champions.
He was reportedly earning £25,000 (S$52,000) a week at Wigan. A 70 per cent pay cut will put him on about S$62,400 per month here. “The monetary hurdle has been crossed long ago. I knew before I flew here I would have to take a big pay cut but you must look at the bigger picture,” said Pennant. “If you do well for the S.League and Singapore football, you will be rewarded in different ways and, in the long run, it may be a no per cent pay cut. “Furthermore, there are other things here in Singapore that I value much more than money.”
He cited Singapore’s stability, safety, cleanliness and a good education system as pull factors that make him want to raise his family here. “The culture is good and very relaxed,” said Pennant, whose wife Alice Goodwin, nine-year-old daughter Esme and five-year-old son, Trey, will visit him in Singapore next month. “Plus there’s nothing to worry about (in terms of safety and security) and there are no language barriers here as most Singaporeans speak English. I have heard the education system here is great. You drive on the right side too. “The people are friendly and the fans are passionate. Everything is great.”
He added: “I am going to send the word back home that Singapore is a good place to be at and I hoping to get the other EPL stars to come out here and have a go. I am sure it would be appealing to them.” Pennant said, over the past week in Singapore, he has received offers from other clubs in the region but made Singapore his priority.
“The minute I got here, it was in the media and a few teams from South Korea, Australia and Malaysia got in touch,” he said. “In fact, they offered much more than what I could possibly get here in Singapore. “But the chairman has a project and I am happy with it. So, sorry to the rest, but I am staying in Singapore.” Read the original TODAY report here. - TODAY/ek
An announcement will be made by this week, said the former England Under-21 international.
Speaking to TODAY over lunch at the Zion Riverside Food Centre on Wednesday (Jan 13), the Englishman - whose one-week trial with the Stags ends on Thursday - said he is already looking at various apartments for his new lodging, and his family will visit him on Feb 12. “Everything has been positive since I landed,” said Pennant, who turns 33 on Friday. “I have enjoyed training with my Tampines teammates and learning from the coach (V Sundramoorthy) and chairman (Krishna Ramachandra). You can expect some news either later today or tomorrow.”
When contacted, Tampines Rovers general manager Desmund Khusnin confirmed that a deal is “very close to being completed”.
The former England Under-21 winger also revealed that he has no qualms taking a 70 per cent pay cut from his last drawn salary with English side Wigan Athletic last season to join the five-time S.League champions.
He was reportedly earning £25,000 (S$52,000) a week at Wigan. A 70 per cent pay cut will put him on about S$62,400 per month here. “The monetary hurdle has been crossed long ago. I knew before I flew here I would have to take a big pay cut but you must look at the bigger picture,” said Pennant. “If you do well for the S.League and Singapore football, you will be rewarded in different ways and, in the long run, it may be a no per cent pay cut. “Furthermore, there are other things here in Singapore that I value much more than money.”
He cited Singapore’s stability, safety, cleanliness and a good education system as pull factors that make him want to raise his family here. “The culture is good and very relaxed,” said Pennant, whose wife Alice Goodwin, nine-year-old daughter Esme and five-year-old son, Trey, will visit him in Singapore next month. “Plus there’s nothing to worry about (in terms of safety and security) and there are no language barriers here as most Singaporeans speak English. I have heard the education system here is great. You drive on the right side too. “The people are friendly and the fans are passionate. Everything is great.”
He added: “I am going to send the word back home that Singapore is a good place to be at and I hoping to get the other EPL stars to come out here and have a go. I am sure it would be appealing to them.” Pennant said, over the past week in Singapore, he has received offers from other clubs in the region but made Singapore his priority.
“The minute I got here, it was in the media and a few teams from South Korea, Australia and Malaysia got in touch,” he said. “In fact, they offered much more than what I could possibly get here in Singapore. “But the chairman has a project and I am happy with it. So, sorry to the rest, but I am staying in Singapore.” Read the original TODAY report here. - TODAY/ek
