After playing a pivotal role in the Lion City Sailors’ historic 2024/25 campaign, centre-back Bailey Wright was eager to ride that momentum into the new season.
Unfortunately for the 33-year-old, his plans were derailed by an untimely injury that sidelined him for much of pre-season and the Sailors’ opening two fixtures.
“Being injured is frustrating, but it’s part and parcel of the game,” Bailey reflected. “It wasn’t the first time I’ve had a spell out, so I used the opportunity to reset – physically and mentally. I knew I had to get it right to make sure I came back stronger.”
The Sailors endured a tough start to their 2025/26 season, as they fell to defeats against BG Tampines Rovers and Johor Darul Ta’zim within five days in the Community Shield and ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup respectively.
However, they responded with an important 2-1 win over Hougang United in their Singapore Premier League (SPL) opener – a match where Bailey marked his return, coming off the bench to help the team see out the victory.
“Nobody likes sitting out, especially when the team’s not getting results. You feel helpless watching from the sidelines,” he admitted. “That win against Hougang gave us a real lift mentally. It’s something to build on, because momentum comes from putting a run of results together.”
Now back in full training and match rhythm, Bailey insists his injury setback is firmly behind him.
“The international break gave us valuable time to regroup and strengthen as a unit, and we’re happy with the progress we’ve made,” he said. “Everyone’s been working hard and we feel well prepared for what’s ahead.”
That challenge begins on Sunday (14 September), when the reigning champions face Balestier Khalsa at Our Tampines Hub. And with the SPL more competitive than ever, Bailey knows they can ill-afford to be complacent against the Tigers.
“We want to dominate and feel comfortable in every game, but the league is much stronger this year. Teams have refreshed their squads and there are plenty of unknowns. We’ll need to adapt quickly,” he said.
Balestier, for one, have undergone an off-season overhaul. With Marko Kraljević returning to the dugout, the Tigers have added Balkan reinforcements, including Croatian defender Mario Šubarić and Serbian forward Bogdan Mandić.
“It won’t be smooth sailing, but we’ll go into every match determined to win,” Bailey emphasised. “Our standards are high. Strong performances matter, but ultimately, it’s about securing three points and continuing to grow together as a team.”
Having tasted the highs of a historic campaign last term, Bailey is intent on helping the Sailors scale greater heights this season.
“Winning becomes a habit, and we want to relive those special moments again. We push each other every day in training to fuel that hunger,” he said.
“As a team, we’ll keep demanding the best from one another to uphold our standards and chase even more success this season.”
