Etoile stay mum, Gouttefangeas insists he has no issues with club

Source

SINGAPORE - They stood silent at the back of the room at Jalan Besar Stadium yesterday as the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president unveiled the two men tasked to take the S-League forward.

Etoile FC duo Laurent Panelli and Nicolas Possetti hardly moved when Johan Gouttefangeas addressed the media for the first time as deputy chief executive officer (CEO) of the S-League, speaking of the expertise he will bring to the competition.

According to sources, the appointment of the former Etoile chairman behind new S-League CEO Lim Chin has ruffled French feathers at the Queenstown Stadium.

It is believed the 2010 S-League champions could even pull out of the 2012 season in protest, although Etoile are keeping their cards close to their chests.

When approached by Today, club general manager Panelli would only say: "We will speak on Monday."

Gouttefangeas was chairman of the French outfit when they became the first foreign side to lift the S-League title in 2010.

But he also faced complaints from players for late payment of their salaries and unpaid bonuses. His promise to build a clubhouse also never materialised and his countrymen have not forgotten.

Gouttefangeas left the club in June last year and businessman Hicham Moudden took over as chairman.

The 35-year-old insisted yesterday he was unaware about any protest from his former club. "I only just returned to Singapore on Thursday, I'm not aware of anything. Everything was smooth when I left Etoile ... and I won't be showing any preferential treatment towards them (or discriminate against them)," he said.

"Even if all this is true, it won't change the way we work."

Despite kick-off being only a month away, the S-League fixtures for the coming season have yet to be released.

Said Tampines Rovers chairman Teo Hock Seng: "Etoile's participation is probably the final piece of the jigsaw, that's probably what's causing the hold-up."

But FAS chief Zainudin Nordin was quick to refute the suggestion.

"I'm holding back the release of fixtures because I want to get it right, because once we release it, we won't change it anymore," he insisted. "I did meet with Etoile, and the issue (brought up) was about their participation, but I don't want to go into details. I'm confident that the league will continue with 14 teams," he added.

CEO Lim is hopeful his maiden season will kick-off with the full complement of 14 sides.

"All this transpired in the last few days, and it will be sad if any team intends to sit out, (but if that happens) we'll proceed in the best possible way," said the 50-year-old former Singapore Armed Forces colonel.

Lim insisted he was unaware of any disagreement Etoile had over Gouttefangeas' appointment and expressed full confidence in his No 2 man.