Tampines Rovers will be keen to reclaim their place at the top of the S.League as they kick off their 2015 campaign on Monday at the Jurong East Stadium against Albirex Niigata (S).
The Stags, who were crowned league champions in three consecutive years from 2011 to 2013, had to settle for a third-place finish in 2014 behind winners Warriors FC and runners up Brunei DPMM FC.
Many have tipped Tampines as favourites this year after former LionsXII boss V. Sundramoorthy replaced Rafi Ali at the helm during the off-season. A host of experienced campaigners like Muhammad Ridhuan, Indra Sahdan and Ismail Yunos -- all two-time winners of the AFF Suzuki Cup -- have also been added to the ranks.
Another new face at the club is combative midfielder Fabian Kwok, who arrives after establishing himself as a key player at Geylang International over the past two seasons. The 25-year-old faces a challenge to break into Sundramoorthy's starting line-up, but he says that the depth in the squad bodes well for Tampines' title prospects.
"We have a very good team this season with five quality foreigners, as well as a whole squad of players that would easily be first XI players at other clubs," Fabian told ESPN FC.
"The cohesion in the team has been very good, but now we have to jell well on the pitch once the season starts. I just want to do my best for Tampines and hopefully we can win something because we certainly have a squad capable of doing so."
Fabian praised coach Sundramoorthy's approach towards selection. "During training so far in the pre-season, the reserves regularly give the first XI a good fight. Coach Sundram has been very straightforward in that whoever trains well will get the chance to play."
Fabian said that being part of the Tampines squad will be a learning experience for him. "I will have to do my best to force my way into the starting line-up. But there's so much I can learn every day at such a big club, watching how players like Fahrudin [Mustafic] and Ismadi [Mukhtar] go about their business."
On Monday, the Stags kick off their campaign at the Jurong East Stadium against Albirex Niigata (S), who have finished in the top five in the last four seasons.
The White Swans proved to be quite a tough test for Tampines last season, with all their three meetings having ended in draws.
However, Tatsuyuki Okuyama's charges will be without the clinical Kazuki Sakamoto, the scorer of four goals in their last six matches against Tampines, who has returned to Japan to join MIO Biwako Shiga.
However, Albirex have added the likes of Yosuke Nozawa and Fumiya Kogure, two players who combine for over 380 J-League appearances, and Okuyama believes his side will once again challenge for the top honours.
"This year, we have a more experienced team and our technical ability will be better," Okuyuma told ESPN FC. "Especially given we have players who have played in the J-League. We will have an attacking minded team looking to play dynamic football that will entertain fans."
Okuyama is in his second year in charge of Albirex, having taken over from Koichi Sugiyama at the end of 2013.
Albirex Niigata (S) Probable Lineup: Yosuke Nozawa (GK), Mikiya Yamada, Kento Fujihara, Takahiro Saito, Itsuki Yamada (C), Hikaru Mizuno, Fumiya Kogure, Rion Taki, Kento Nagasaki, Atsushi Kawata, Shotaro Ihata.
Tampines Rovers Probable Lineup: Joey Sim (GK), Ismadi Mukhtar, Eddy Viator, Predrag Pocuca, Shaiful Esah, Fabian Kwok, Fahrudin Mustafic (C), Muhammad Ridhuan, Jamil Ali, Fabrice Noel, Mateo Roskam.