Zulfahmi thrilled at 'dream' Thai move

Midfielder makes 'very difficult' call to leave Hougang again for League 1's Suphanburi

Singapore midfielder Zulfahmi Arifin with his new coach Adebayo Gbadebo after signing for Thai League 1 side Suphanburi. The former Hougang captain will be the fourth Singaporean in the Thai top tier next season. PHOTO COURTESY OF SUPHANBURI FC
Singapore midfielder Zulfahmi Arifin with his new coach Adebayo Gbadebo after signing for Thai League 1 side Suphanburi. The former Hougang captain will be the fourth Singaporean in the Thai top tier next season. PHOTO COURTESY OF SUPHANBURI FC
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Five years ago, the idea of playing for a top-tier Thailand club seemed a distant dream for Zulfahmi Arifin, who kept tabs on the competition while admiring the high technical levels of South-east Asia's strongest league.

While powerhouses such as Muangthong and Buriram were popular with fans here, the Singapore midfielder started following the more unheralded Suphanburi, a team formed in 1997 whose highest finish was second place in 2012.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 27, 2019, with the headline Zulfahmi thrilled at 'dream' Thai move. Subscribe