When former Arsenal and Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant signed for S.League club Tampines Rovers in January, it raised eyebrows not only in Singapore but also in the United Kingdom.

For example, former England international Darren Anderton, who played briefly with Pennant at Birmingham City in 2005, admitted that he was initially surprised by the news.

But the 44-year-old now thinks that Pennant’s success in easing into the S.League could end up drawing other English players to Singapore.

To date, Pennant has scored five goals in the S.League. He has also helped Tampines climb to second spot in the league, reach the final of the Singapore Cup, and the knockout stages of the AFC Cup.

“When I heard that Jermaine was playing out here, it was a little bit of a surprise, but I played with him at Birmingham and I know him as a real character who is not afraid of doing something different,” said the former Tottenham Hotspur fan favourite at yesterday’s press conference for the England Masters versus German Masters game on Nov 12.

“I hope that he has done well so far out here (in Singapore), and he is enjoying it. (And if he does), there is no reason why that (English players coming to Singapore to play) can’t happen again with other players in the future.

“Players are going all over the world now to play, and they are in leagues everywhere. The pitfall, of course, in moving overseas to play is because we have the (English) Premier League, which is arguably the best league, and everyone wants to play in it.

“I think the (biggest obstacles to overcome) are a different lifestyle, a different league with a different quality to what you are used to, I suppose.

“Everything about it is tough — that’s why people like to play in their own country.” ADELENE WONG