Securing every major honour in a sport is a top priority for clubs aiming to achieve peak success.
After several years of dominating Brunei’s premier league, leading local club DPMM FC, founded in 2000, ventured into new territory by joining the Singapore league through the Malaysia league for the 2005-2006 season.
During the Brunei Premier League, DPMM FC clinched the champion-ship twice in three seasons, a testament to their dominance, as they lost only twice during that period.
This success fuelled their ambition to seek new challenges abroad. The club’s bold move paid off when they made a significant impact in the Malaysia Premier League, Malaysia’s second-tier professional football league competition, right from their debut season.
Navigating through a new football landscape, the Gegar Gegar men were undaunted and achieved promotion to the Malaysia Super League at their first attempt.
Showcasing technical prowess and sharp finishing skills, DPMM FC’s local star, Shahrazen Said, lit up the scoring charts with 21 goals, making him the joint top scorer.
The club secured a commendable third-place finish in Malaysia’s top flight, trailing behind the champions Kedah and the second-place team, Perak.
Despite facing tougher and more renowned competitors, DPMM FC’s stint in the Malaysian top tier was brief as they subsequently moved to the neighbouring Singapore league.
Under the stewardship of coach Vjeran Simunic, the Jerudong-based DPMM FC quickly found success abroad, winning the Singapore League Cup for the first time in 2009. This victory marked the club’s first major trophy outside their home country. DPMM FC continued to excel in the tournament, clinching the cup again in 2012 and 2014, thereby securing their place in the annals of the competition’s history. With a strong roster that included skilled local ta-lents and seasoned international players, DPMM FC emerged as serious contenders for the league title. Although they were narrowly bested by Tampines Rovers in the 2012 championship race, their ambition to secure the league crown was clearly evident.
As DPMM FC prepared for a new chapter after Simunic’s departure at the end of the 2013 season, they appointed Steve Kean, the former manager of English Premier League team Blackburn Rovers, as head coach.
Kean quickly made his mark by leading the team to their third Singapore League Cup victory in May 2014, with a 2-0 win over Tanjong Pagar United thanks to goals from Boris Raspudic and Adi Said.
Under Kean’s leadership, DPMM FC proved themselves to be formidable contenders, narrowly missing out on the league championship as they finished second to Warriors FC.
Although Kean was a controversial figure among Blackburn Rovers supporters, he redeemed his coaching reputation by guiding DPMM FC to their first league title the following year, thereby cementing his legacy with the club.
A standout 4-0 victory at home against Balestier Khalsa, fuelled by a brace from Portuguese standout Paulo Sergio, highlighted a remarkable season and remains one of the most iconic moments in DPMM FC’s relatively short history.
However, the club struggled to replicate this success the following season, finishing third, nine points behind champions Albirex Niigata (S).
After a lacklustre 2017 season, Kean was replaced by Rene Weber, who led the club to their first Singapore Cup final in 2018.
Continuing their trend of adjustments, DPMM FC appointed Adrian Pennock as the head coach the next year, signalling further strategic changes in their pursuit of success.
The appointment of Pennock, formerly of Gillingham, turned out to be an inspired choice for DPMM FC.
His varied coaching techniques, rigorous focus on fitness, and effective man-management skills revitalised the team.
Bolstered by the formidable presence of Belarussian striker Andrey Varankou, who became known for his prolific scoring against Singaporean teams, DPMM FC clinched their second league title under Pennock’s leadership.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic introduced significant challenges, disrupting the club’s participation in the Singapore league.
Despite numerous attempts by involved parties to reintegrate DPMM FC into the league post-pandemic, these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful, hindering the club’s ability to compete on the Singaporean stage during this period.
As the threat of the virus subsided, DPMM FC’s participation in the league was reinstated for the 2023 season. Although the team struggled to find form, the rise of young talent Hakeme Yazid Said was a bright spot.
The Brunei national made a significant impact, leading the team with 12 goals and five assists in 22 league appearances.
Looking ahead, under the guidance of newly-appointed coach Rui Capela Batista, DPMM FC is set to begin a new chapter.
The club aims to blend the enthusiasm of its young talents with the technical expertise and seasoned experience of its new foreign signings, setting the stage for a hopeful resurgence in their performance. – Fadhil Yunus
