SINGAPORE – In his 13-year senior career, Australian international Bailey Wright had skippered Sunderland, helped the Black Cats earn promotion to England’s second-tier Championship and played a part in Australia’s World Cup 2022 campaign.
Now, the 30-year-old centre-back will bring his wealth of experience to the Singapore Premier League (SPL) after becoming the Lion City Sailors’ latest high-profile signing.
The Sailors, who are seeking to reclaim the SPL title, announced on Sunday that they had signed the 1.84m defender on a two-year deal.
Speaking to The Straits Times at the club’s Mattar Road headquarters, Wright revealed that he wanted a “new challenge” after more than a decade in England, where he also turned out for Preston North End and Bristol City.
He said: “From the moment the club told me about their project and what they were building, it excited and motivated me.
“I see the facilities and the infrastructure put in place so far, and it is always nice to have a good working environment.”
Wright, who was released by Sunderland on mutual consent in June after a 3½-year spell, was part of the Black Cats’ English Football League Trophy-winning squad in 2021, before helping them gain promotion to the Championship the following term.
He spent the second half of last season on loan at fellow Championship side Rotherham, who were caught in a relegation scrap before eventually finishing above the bottom three.
Wright, who has 29 caps, was also part of Australia’s squad at the Qatar World Cup. He came on as a substitute in the 1-0 group-stage win over Denmark.
He had several offers on the table, including from back home in the A-League, but felt that it was not the right time to return home yet.
He added: “I wanted something that feels right in the heart and I love Singapore from when I’ve visited here (in the past).
“As a country, I know it’s a great place to bring my wife and two kids and experience a new life journey with them as well as enjoy my football here.”
The Sailors are second in the SPL, just two points behind leaders Albirex Niigata (41) but they have conceded twice as many goals as the Japanese side (12) in 17 matches.
Wright hopes that he can bring leadership and organisation to the Sailors’ backline, having been a captain at Bristol City and Sunderland.
He explained: “I’m quite vocal and not afraid to take the lead and make things happen if I feel things need to change.
“But ultimately I have a high respect for everyone here.”
He believes the SPL has quality players, and he will not be “underestimating any opposition”, saying: “I’m going to make sure that I’m ready to play, because in football, if I’m not, people can punish you.”
Not only are the Sailors in contention for the SPL title, but they will also play in the Asian Champions League (ACL) in September.
Wright takes Spaniard Manuel Lopez’s place in the SPL squad as one of the four foreign players allowed. But Lopez could still be part of their campaign in the ACL, which has a quota of 5+1 for imports (five players of any nationality and one from an Asian Football Confederation member association).
The club had previously made similar high-profile signings with the likes of former South Korean international Kim Shin-wook, even though his stint was cut short.
The Sailors will be hoping Wright can leave a bigger impact on the team, and new coach Aleksandar Rankovic believes his first signing will help “raise the bar as we compete at the highest levels”.
The battle-hardened defender is known for never shying away from crunching tackles and putting his body on the line for his team. And he promises “you’re going to get 100 per cent commitment from me”.
He added: “If it means it’s got to be physical and ugly, I’m prepared to do that.”
