S-League chairmen warned Those who break FAS guidelines when they speak to the media will be fined

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SINGAPORE - V Sundramoorthy's LionsXII side will open a new chapter in Singapore's football history books next year.

Last night, the 28-man squad went through their paces in training out on the pitch at the Jalan Besar Stadium yesterday ahead of their Malaysian football adventure.

At the same time, a new chapter for the S-League was also being discussed within the offices at Jalan Besar, the headquarters of the Football Association of Singapore.

FAS president Zainudin Nordin met with S-League club chairmen to give an update on S-League version 2.0, for next year and beyond.

Along with proposed revisions, the club chairmen were warned that those who breach set guidelines and reveal confidential information to the media will be fined by the FAS.

The FAS will apply strict media guidelines from next season onwards.

As reported earlier by Today, Zainudin informed clubs that the next year S-League will see 14 teams compete in a two-round format, with Brunei side DPMM FC poised to join the competition along with Malaysia's Young Tigers.

A draw for next season's fixtures will be held for the first time in the history of the competition, with the league scheduled to kick off on Feb 9, after the Charity Shield fixture between champions Tampines Rovers and Home United, winners of the RHB Singapore Cup, on Feb 5.

This year, an S-League fixture was screened "live" on TV every week on Friday. This "live" screening will be changed to Thursday, with the S-League moving to a three-matchday format per week.

In an interesting turn of events, French side Etoile FC, who have yet to put pen to paper on their proposed plan for a clubhouse, have requested to be allowed to include six local players in their roster, with four of the six to play at any time.

The club who were represented by chairman Hicham Moudden at last night's meeting, also asked to set up their own Centres of Excellence to groom young footballers, similar to what local clubs are doing.

Today understands that the Courts Young Lions, who have yet to confirm their coaching staff or 25-man player roster, will not participate in the RHB Singapore Cup 2012.

Today had revealed earlier that the FAS would remove the S$10,000 salary cap for a marquee player who will not be subject to the S-League's mandatory beep test, with age and contract restrictions loosened on two young foreign players whose wages will be subsidised by the FAS, and Zainudin confirmed those changes with the club chairmen yesterday.

While the FAS president did not announce the identity of the new S-League chief executive officer, it is believed the FAS will introduce the new chief over the next few days.