Selangor coach P. Maniam seems to have the Midas touch.
Having helped Selangor win their last two group matches, Maniam guided his team to their third straight win when they beat Perak 3-1 in the Malaysia Cup quarter-final, first-leg tie at the Shah Alam Stadium on Monday.
The result takes the Red Giants a step closer to winning the Cup for the 33rd time.
Maniam replaced K. Devan, who stepped down in September following a string of poor performance in the Malaysia Cup.
And the new coach believes that his team are playing better because “they are under less pressure now that they are no longer the favourites”.
“Our performance has improved game by game as the players have started to click on the pitch,” he said.
“We are not the favourites any more after a slow start in the group stages. I think that took the pressure off the players and they are now playing with more freedom and enjoying their football.
“I’ve never pressured any of them to score goals and I think that has worked because now all 10 outfield players seem able to score.”
The 43-year-old Maniam feels that his players became complacent towards the end of their match against Perak, resulting in them conceding a goal and midfielder Bunyamin Omar being sent off for a second yellow card offence.
“Overall, we played well but we lost focus towards the end and it cost us a goal and a red card,” said the former international.
“We have been playing as a team in the last three games and that is the reason for our good form. I hope they continue playing this way.”
Despite the comfortable 3-1 win, Maniam believes the Red Giants will still start as the underdogs in the return leg at the Perak Stadium in Ipoh on Friday.
Perak will be bolstered by the return of skipper Shahrulnizam Mustapa, striker Akmal Rizal Rakhli and goalkeeper Nasril Nourdin following the successful appeal to reduce their suspensions.
“I have told my players to forget the first-leg score and to go into the match in Perak thinking the scoreline is still 0-0,” said Maniam.
“It will be tougher in Ipoh but I have faith in my players.”
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