In the end, common sense equalised.

The S-League announced yesterday (Nov. 22, 2014) that the immensely unpopular age-cap restrictions will be booted out.

Super.

In a statement to the media, S-League wrote:

"Following discussions, the S-League and the club chairmen have decided not to implement the new rules of maximum and minimum number of players for the various age categories. The decision was taken after careful consideration of the appeals made by some affected players."

Previously, on Nov. 3, the league's Chief Executive Officer Lim Chin announced that starting from next season, the league will limit clubs to only five players over the age of 30 in a 22-man squad, while three players will have to be aged 25 or under.

His reason for such a drastic change?

To inject youth to the game and, hopefully, better football. To describe it in football terms: Even David Beckham might have problem hitting the target with this long shot.

The harsh policy meant that 43 players over age 30 will be fighting for 30 jobs. A little like Hunger Games but played by Singaporean footballers.

However, the S-League's age discrimination could very well have be a direct violation of the Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP), where the first principle of employment is to:

"Recruit and select employees on the basis of merit (such as skills, experience or ability to perform the job), and regardless of age, race, gender, religion, marital status and family responsibilities, or disability."

According to The Sunday Times today, TAFEP met S-League officials last Monday to seek clarifications on the proposed changes. The paper also reported that several players have gone to the Manpower Ministry.

And then things got out of hand when this controversial, explosive recording between Lim and Tanjong Pagar United footballers was leaked.

Many fans wrote in to The Straits Times to question the decision.

LionsXII sucking S-League dry

"The LionsXII have taken the bulk of talented local players away from the league, and the talent pool will shrink even further with the cap on older players." - Bai Zhongkai

Which young player in the right mind would want to join the league?

"Imposing an age restriction will turn off aspiring players who wish to play professional football, given the risk of joining the ranks of the unemployed once they turn 30.It could end up being the death knell for the S-League and national football development programmes at the youth level." (emphasis mine) - Former Tampines Rovers President George Pasqual

A Catch-22 situation

"Can the FAS reveal the number of footballers who played in the National A, B and C divisions and turned professional? And what is the percentage of players who joined the centres of excellence and National Football Academy and made it to the respective national age-group teams?

If these numbers are low, then we have to find out why. And if the numbers are high, we need to study why these players are still unable to dislodge the veterans." - Don Lee Tong

Remember a certain Aleksandar Duric?

"Footballers should not lose the opportunity to play professionally just because of their age. The recently retired Aleksandar Duric was involved in the S-League for many years, and is the most decorated player in the league's history." - Jeff Tan Hong Liak

Embarrassing own goal

The entire fiasco is an own goal scored by the higher echelon of the S-League and it is hard to digest that they could cook up such obtuse restrictions.

And in the same month, some three weeks later, they decided on a rather hasty and convenient U-turn.

Do they really think that they are wrong? Or are they just succumbing to pressure from the media and the fans? Flip-flopping like this only underscores the management's weak grasp of local football.

Such is the speed and ease that some might wonder if they even have the necessary common sense in the first place.

Top photo from here.

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