Police facing tough hurdles in Malaysia Cup

Long-serving Police coach K. Thaiyanathan feels the team’s qualification for the Malaysia Cup competition is an achievement by itself.

The 57-year-old seasoned campaigner with only three civilians in the squad has done well to qualify on merit for the 16-team Malaysia Cup competition. The top 12 Super League teams and the top four in the Premier League qualify for the competition.

Police finished third in the Premier League behind champions PKNS FC and runners-up Sarawak.

“We did not get promoted to the Super League but we take pride if making it for the Malaysia Cup on merit for the first time,” said Thaiyanathan yesterday.

In previous competitions, all the affiliates, including Police and Armed Forces qualify for the Malaysia Cup competition.

“We know our strength and it will not be easy in the Malaysia Cup,” said Thaiyanathan, whose boys have been drawn in Group D with fancied Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and T-Team.

The three civilians in the team are skipper Mohd Hafiz Amiruddin, Fazuan Abdullah and D.K. Dhurai.

The mainstays of the Police team are strikers Fauzi Majid and top scorer Khairul Izuan Abdullah who has nine goals to his credit.

Thaiyanathan has been with the Police team for 23 years. and has worked under Chow Kwai Lam, Rahim Abdullah, Bawandi Hiralal and Ken Morten before becoming the chief coach in 2002.

The police sergeant won promotion from the FAM Cup in 2002. And his biggest achievement was winning the Premier League title in 2007.