SINGAPORE -- After a history-making season with Aleksandar Ranković at the helm, Lion City Sailors have rewarded their Serbian coach with a two-year contract extension.
In an official statement released on Monday evening, the Singapore Premier League champions labelled Ranković's continued stewardship as "underscoring the club's commitment to continuity and building on the strong foundation laid during a historic 2024/25 season."
Ranković joined the Sailors in June 2023 and won the Singapore Cup just six months later, although the league title -- which he constantly referred to as their main target -- would elude him until last season.
It would prove to be a campaign to remember as the Sailors not only won the league and cup double, in addition to the season-opening Community Shield, but also became the first Singaporean club to reach a continental decider before they just missed out on the AFC Champions League Two crown after an agonising 2-1 loss to Emirati powerhouses Sharjah in the final.
"It's an honour to continue this journey with the Lion City Sailors," said Ranković.
"The trust from the management, the players, and the fans means a huge deal to me.
"What we've achieved last season was extraordinary and will be difficult to replicate, but we relish this challenge.
"We're in the midst of assembling a strong squad for the season ahead, and we're determined to write new chapters in the club's history."
Boasting plenty of experience across various backroom staff roles in Netherlands, while also having a head coach stint at ADO Den Haag, it did not take long for Ranković to exert his influence on the Sailors.
In his first full season at the club last term, the Sailors produced an eye-catching brand of football which saw score 96 goals in just 32 matches while conceding just 32, for a staggering goal difference of 64.
Unsurprisingly, the 46-year-old was named Coach of the Year at the SPL's end-of-season awards, while six of his players featured in the Team of the Year.
Acknowleding the impact Ranković has had, Sailors executive director Bruce Liang said: "Coach Aleks' experience, leadership and ability to bring out the best from our squad have been crucial, and the results speak for themselves.
"His continued leadership will build on the foundation we have laid to sustain excellence at our club."
It is shaping up to be a busy offseason for the Sailors as they look to build on their achievements from last term.
On Sunday, the club announced the loan signing of Singapore star Safuwan Baharudin from Selangor, with the 124-cap stalwart returning to play in the SPL for the first time since 2011.
Arguably Singapore's best defender of his generation, while also capable of doing a role in midfield as well as an auxiliary striker, Safuwan came through the ranks of Young Lions but really rose to prominence with LionsXII -- a Singaporean team that played in the Malaysia Super League from 2012 to 2015.
Safuwan became the first Singaporean to play in Australia's A-League when he had a brief-but-successful stint with Melbourne City, but has since plied his trade in Malaysia for a bevy of clubs until the Sailors lured him back home.
Although there have been a number of recent departures, the Sailors look certain to retain the nucleus of their formidable squad having announced contract extensions for foreign stars such as Bailey Wright, Toni Datković and Rui Pires, as well as well-established local players like Hariss Harun, Shawal Anuar and Izwan Mahbud.