S-League version 2.0's beta release scheduled for next week League's format and new CEO among details to be announced

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SINGAPORE - Singapore football is standing on the cusp of change. A return to Malaysian domestic competitions is just over two months away, and local clubs are already bracing for a revamp in the S-League.

Football Association of Singapore (FAS) chief Zainudin Nordin has put together a team to study changes required to generate fan interest and excitement in the domestic competition and, next week, the president and his men will announce key features of S-League version 2.0.

They will present policies designed to keep the 15-year-old S-League moving in the right direction.

Speaking to Today, Zainudin declared: "We'll set up a press conference at the end of next week and present the necessary information ... the key points like the new S-League chief executive officer (CEO), the format of the league, how the schedule will look like and the initiatives that we have planned."

Today had earlier reported that the 2012 season of the S-League is likely to see 14 teams battle it out for the title in a two-round format.

The current season features 12 teams competing over three rounds.

The Malaysian Young Tigers will join the S-League next year, as part of the deal signed between the FAS and their Malaysian counterparts, which will see a Singapore side play across the Causeway. And Brunei side DPMM FC, the first foreign team to win a domestic trophy here in 2009 when they lifted the League Cup, remain the frontrunners for the final spot.

Zainudin had earlier announced that there is a plan to improve training facilities for clubs, centred on increasing the number of artificial pitches, and a 2,000-seat expansion of the 6,000-capacity Jalan Besar Stadium.

But the FAS chief declined to reveal if those details would also be unveiled next week. He said: "As far as the stadium is concerned, I can say that there are no glitches, we are progressing reasonably well, and we are on the verge of making a decision on the expansion. We will provide updates very soon, for everything."