East Coast giants Terengganu paid the price for complacency in the 2-0 defeat to Hong Kong champions Kitchee in the AFC Cup at the Sultan Ismail Stadium.
Coach Mat Zan Mat Aris, who was clearly upset with his team’s dismal performance, said his players were guilty of careless mistakes, especially in defence.
“Our turnover rate was unbelievable and it gave Kitchee many opportunities to attack,” he said. “We gave away the ball cheaply despite controlling the game.”
Mat Zan said the forwards also lacked focus, failing to convert countless chances.
“We could have scored two or three goals,” he said. “The team let the fans down … we let ourselves down.
“I expected more, especially after our big win over Sabah last week.”
Mat Zan did not rule out the possibility that the players were suffering from fatigue due to the hectic schedule.
Showing posts with label AFC Cup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AFC Cup. Show all posts
Thursday, 22 March 2012
Monday, 19 March 2012
Hong Kong club Kitchee worried over Terengganu's pitch in AFC Cup
Francis Doe, the hot weather and an uneven pitch have got Hong Kong's Kitchee head coach Josep Gombau alittle worried ahead of their AFC Cup Group F match against Terengganu at Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium in Kuala Terengganu tomorrow.
The Spaniard, who was at the stadium with his players when Doe scored a hat-trick for Terengganu in their 6-3 home league win over Sabah on Saturday, said the Liberian striker is skillful enough to pose a real threat to the Hong Kong First Division leaders.
"We saw enough to know that Terengganu are a dangerous team when going forward and since we are also an attacking team, we expect the match on Tuesday (tomorrow) will be an explosive and high-scoring one," Gambau said when met yesterday.
Gombau, who arrived with his team in Kuala Terengganu on Friday, said apart from Doe, his players will also have to worry about the hot weather and the uneven pitch.
"It's about 17 degrees Celcius in Hong Kong at this time of year but here we notice the temperature rises to above 30 degrees during the day and we are going to play in the afternoon.
"We also noticed that the stadium pitch is not that good unlike what we are used to back home and that may just give the home side an upper hand although I still think that the match is going to be closely contested," he said.
The coach said his team had not been training well as the field provided for the team is sub-standard at best.
"We have decided to move our practice session today (yesterday) to the hockey stadium in town as the artificial pitch there is more suitable for us to train.
"But make no mistake, regardless of the conditions we plan to go back with three points," said Gombau, who steered his team to a 3-1 home win over Singapore's Tampines Rovers in the opening round match.
Meanwhile, Terengganu coach Mat Zan Mat Aris said the convincing win over Sabah might just be the tonic needed by his team to secure their second AFC Cup win.
"All this while our wins have always been by a single-goal but last (Saturday) night, we proved that we can win big as well and, hopefully, we will be able to do it again against Kitchee.
"Not many expected us to beat Song Lam Nghe An in Vietnam in the opening round but we did it away from home and this time we are going to take full advantage of playing at home," he said.
Mat Zan confirmed that first choice goalkeeper Sarbinee Allawee has recovered from his groin injury and is likely to start against Kitchee.
The Spaniard, who was at the stadium with his players when Doe scored a hat-trick for Terengganu in their 6-3 home league win over Sabah on Saturday, said the Liberian striker is skillful enough to pose a real threat to the Hong Kong First Division leaders.
"We saw enough to know that Terengganu are a dangerous team when going forward and since we are also an attacking team, we expect the match on Tuesday (tomorrow) will be an explosive and high-scoring one," Gambau said when met yesterday.
Gombau, who arrived with his team in Kuala Terengganu on Friday, said apart from Doe, his players will also have to worry about the hot weather and the uneven pitch.
"It's about 17 degrees Celcius in Hong Kong at this time of year but here we notice the temperature rises to above 30 degrees during the day and we are going to play in the afternoon.
"We also noticed that the stadium pitch is not that good unlike what we are used to back home and that may just give the home side an upper hand although I still think that the match is going to be closely contested," he said.
The coach said his team had not been training well as the field provided for the team is sub-standard at best.
"We have decided to move our practice session today (yesterday) to the hockey stadium in town as the artificial pitch there is more suitable for us to train.
"But make no mistake, regardless of the conditions we plan to go back with three points," said Gombau, who steered his team to a 3-1 home win over Singapore's Tampines Rovers in the opening round match.
Meanwhile, Terengganu coach Mat Zan Mat Aris said the convincing win over Sabah might just be the tonic needed by his team to secure their second AFC Cup win.
"All this while our wins have always been by a single-goal but last (Saturday) night, we proved that we can win big as well and, hopefully, we will be able to do it again against Kitchee.
"Not many expected us to beat Song Lam Nghe An in Vietnam in the opening round but we did it away from home and this time we are going to take full advantage of playing at home," he said.
Mat Zan confirmed that first choice goalkeeper Sarbinee Allawee has recovered from his groin injury and is likely to start against Kitchee.
Thursday, 15 March 2012
Terengganu wants their fans to behave during matches
Fans of the Turtles, famous for “welcoming” opposing teams by throwing plastic bottles onto the pitch have been told to behave for the AFC Cup clash with Hong Kong’s Kitchee FC on March 20.
Terengganu FA president Datuk Che Mat Jusoh said any disruption caused by the fans would bring dire consequences to the team and FA.
He said the FA could be fined US$5,000 (RM15,915) for each object thrown onto the field.
“I hope the fans will be at their best behaviour and not throw bottles.
“I respect their passion for the team but there are other ways of expressing it other than throwing bottles,” he asid at the FA headquarters here yesterday.
Che Mat said the AFC Cup was a prestigious competition and the organisers have set a strict guidelines for teams.
“The police, along with other enforcement agencies, will be on hand to ensure the match goes smoothly but I appeal to the fans to not resort to any wild behaviour. “
Tickets for the match would be priced at RM30 for the grandstand and RM15 for regular seats. Fans can buy the tickets at Stadium Sultan Ismail on March 19-20.
Terengganu go into the second Group F match against Kitchee FC after dispatching Vietnam’s Song Lam Nghe An 1-0 in their debut match last week. The fourth team in Group F is Singapore’s Tampines Rovers.
Terengganu FA president Datuk Che Mat Jusoh said any disruption caused by the fans would bring dire consequences to the team and FA.
He said the FA could be fined US$5,000 (RM15,915) for each object thrown onto the field.
“I hope the fans will be at their best behaviour and not throw bottles.
“I respect their passion for the team but there are other ways of expressing it other than throwing bottles,” he asid at the FA headquarters here yesterday.
Che Mat said the AFC Cup was a prestigious competition and the organisers have set a strict guidelines for teams.
“The police, along with other enforcement agencies, will be on hand to ensure the match goes smoothly but I appeal to the fans to not resort to any wild behaviour. “
Tickets for the match would be priced at RM30 for the grandstand and RM15 for regular seats. Fans can buy the tickets at Stadium Sultan Ismail on March 19-20.
Terengganu go into the second Group F match against Kitchee FC after dispatching Vietnam’s Song Lam Nghe An 1-0 in their debut match last week. The fourth team in Group F is Singapore’s Tampines Rovers.
Friday, 9 March 2012
Terengganu beat Vietnam club Song Lam Nghe An in AFC Cup
The Turtles head into tomorrow’s FA Cup second round home clash against Perak on a high following their 1-0 win over Vietnam’s Song Lam Nghe An in the Group F opener of the AFC Cup in Hanoi on Tuesday.
Abdul Manaf Mamat scored the winning goal in the 51st minute. He did well to pick up Mohd Ashaari Shamsudin’s through pass before dribbling past two Song Lam defenders and scoring.
Coach Mat Zan Mat Aris said the win had lifted the players’ morale and he hoped it would inspire the Turtles to go on a winning run in domestic matches, beginning with the FA Cup clash against Perak.
“My men played with great discipline and were rewarded with the valuable win. They played their hearts out on the field and stuck to the game plan,” he said.
He also said that the win is the perfect tonic for the team to do well in their coming Super League and FA Cup matches.
“Our only worry is their fitness given the hectic schedule of the past week,” he said. “The game on Saturday will mean that the players will have played three matches in eight days. I will assess their fitness before deciding the starting line-up.”
Mat Zan said skipper Marzuki Yusof did not play against Song Lam because of an injury and “we will monitor his progress”.
The coach is also confident that Abdul Manaf will get more goals after scoring the winner on Tuesday.
“A striker needs to score before they can go on a fine run of form. I feel Abdul Manaf is close to realising his top form … it won’t be long before he finds the net regularly,” he said.
Abdul Manaf Mamat scored the winning goal in the 51st minute. He did well to pick up Mohd Ashaari Shamsudin’s through pass before dribbling past two Song Lam defenders and scoring.
Coach Mat Zan Mat Aris said the win had lifted the players’ morale and he hoped it would inspire the Turtles to go on a winning run in domestic matches, beginning with the FA Cup clash against Perak.
“My men played with great discipline and were rewarded with the valuable win. They played their hearts out on the field and stuck to the game plan,” he said.
He also said that the win is the perfect tonic for the team to do well in their coming Super League and FA Cup matches.
“Our only worry is their fitness given the hectic schedule of the past week,” he said. “The game on Saturday will mean that the players will have played three matches in eight days. I will assess their fitness before deciding the starting line-up.”
Mat Zan said skipper Marzuki Yusof did not play against Song Lam because of an injury and “we will monitor his progress”.
The coach is also confident that Abdul Manaf will get more goals after scoring the winner on Tuesday.
“A striker needs to score before they can go on a fine run of form. I feel Abdul Manaf is close to realising his top form … it won’t be long before he finds the net regularly,” he said.
Kelantan coach confident of progressing to second round of AFC Cup
Kelantan are not too concerned about losing two points in the AFC Cup Group H 0-0 draw with Navibank Saigon at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Wednesday.
Since the other Group H clash between Arema FC and Ayeyawady United ended in a 1-1 draw, it leaves all four teams in the group tied on a point each.
And Kelantan coach Bojan Hodak is confident his men can still make the second round of the competition.
“It’s not that bad a result … we didn’t lose the match,” said the former UPB MyTeam coach.
“We are capable of getting six points from our home matches and we just need to win one of our away games,” he told the post-match conference.
Hodak said he made six changes to his starting line – as he needed to test his foreign players and rotate the squad ahead of their FA Cup second round clash against Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.
Among the players given a run-out were strikers Mohamad Ghaddar (Lebanon) and Dennis Antwi (Ghana). The duo, who last played in a competitive match in January, were given a chance to prove themselves with Nigerian striker Onyekachi Nwoha.
However, the changes made the team look disjointed, especially in attack as the foreign trio lacked cohesion and sharpness.
“The transfer window opens in April and I was asked by the management to evaluate the foreign players to be registered for the Super League,” said the Croatian coach.
“Ghaddar and Antwi are registered for the AFC Cup and we can only evaluate their performances when they play in this competition. These players are still not at their best and are improving. They just need more matches under their belts.”
Navibank coach Pham Cong Loc reckons that his side were unlucky “but I will accept the result”.
“I’m generally pleased with the result but we could have won it. In the first half, we had at least three chances which we failed to convert,” he said. “We were unlucky in the second half as the Kelantan’s side of the pitch was water-logged and this made it hard for us to play our normal game. I believe if the field was in a better condition, one of us would have scored. Still, we will accept the result and I think we can go far in this competition.”
Since the other Group H clash between Arema FC and Ayeyawady United ended in a 1-1 draw, it leaves all four teams in the group tied on a point each.
And Kelantan coach Bojan Hodak is confident his men can still make the second round of the competition.
“It’s not that bad a result … we didn’t lose the match,” said the former UPB MyTeam coach.
“We are capable of getting six points from our home matches and we just need to win one of our away games,” he told the post-match conference.
Hodak said he made six changes to his starting line – as he needed to test his foreign players and rotate the squad ahead of their FA Cup second round clash against Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.
Among the players given a run-out were strikers Mohamad Ghaddar (Lebanon) and Dennis Antwi (Ghana). The duo, who last played in a competitive match in January, were given a chance to prove themselves with Nigerian striker Onyekachi Nwoha.
However, the changes made the team look disjointed, especially in attack as the foreign trio lacked cohesion and sharpness.
“The transfer window opens in April and I was asked by the management to evaluate the foreign players to be registered for the Super League,” said the Croatian coach.
“Ghaddar and Antwi are registered for the AFC Cup and we can only evaluate their performances when they play in this competition. These players are still not at their best and are improving. They just need more matches under their belts.”
Navibank coach Pham Cong Loc reckons that his side were unlucky “but I will accept the result”.
“I’m generally pleased with the result but we could have won it. In the first half, we had at least three chances which we failed to convert,” he said. “We were unlucky in the second half as the Kelantan’s side of the pitch was water-logged and this made it hard for us to play our normal game. I believe if the field was in a better condition, one of us would have scored. Still, we will accept the result and I think we can go far in this competition.”
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Kelantan draw with Vietnam club Navibank Saigon in AFC Cup
Kelantan played to a scoreless draw in their opening encounter against Navibank Saigon in Group H of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup at the National Stadium, Bukit Jalil, Wednesday night.
Despite banking their hopes on four imported players before 5,000 partisan supporters, Kelantan failed to find the net in the evenly contested match.
The Vietnamese club gave Kelantan an early scare as early as the eight minute through Dang Khanh Lam, but the attempt found the safe pair of hands of goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat.
Kelantan's import, Mohamad Ghaddar squandered a chance in the 26th minute when his stinging shot went wide.
The soggy pitch due to heavy downpour proved difficult for both teams.
Despite banking their hopes on four imported players before 5,000 partisan supporters, Kelantan failed to find the net in the evenly contested match.
The Vietnamese club gave Kelantan an early scare as early as the eight minute through Dang Khanh Lam, but the attempt found the safe pair of hands of goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat.
Kelantan's import, Mohamad Ghaddar squandered a chance in the 26th minute when his stinging shot went wide.
The soggy pitch due to heavy downpour proved difficult for both teams.
Monday, 5 March 2012
Terengganu struggles to beat Kuala Lumpur in Super League
Terengganu warmed up for their AFC Cup debut tomorrow with a gritty 1-0 win over Kuala Lumpur in the Super League as coach Mat Zan Mat Aris expressed relief his tired players came through unscathed.
Four Terengganu players involved in Malaysia's 1-1 friendly draw with Philippines last Wednesday only arrived on Friday and joined up with the team in Malacca on the day of the match, disrupting Mat Zan's preparations.
Muslim Ahmad, Ashaari Samsudin, Manaf Mamat and Zubir Azmi went straight into the starting line-up but Liberian striker Francis Doe made up for a disjointed display by scoring an opportunistic goal as Terengganu spurned several other chances which would have made for a more flattering scoreline.
"If we look at today's (Saturday) match, it was not our best performance. I was unhappy with the way the defence, midfield and the strikers played. Four players were away with the national team and only joined us today. So there was a lack of understanding between some of the players," said Mat Zan after the game at the Hang Jebat Stadium as Terengganu moved up to second in the standings.
Terengganu leave for Vinh, Vietnam today to take on V-League champions Song Lam Nghe An before returning home for an FA Cup second round tie against Perak on Saturday in a busy week for Mat Zan's boys.
"I hope our performances will pick up in the next game. Fatigue will be an issue because after Vietnam we return to play Perak in the FA Cup. This is going to be a tough week when we play three games in eight days and doing a lot of travelling," added Mat Zan, a KL legend now in his second stint with Terengganu.
KL could have made life difficult for Terengganu had they been sharper in front of goal with Lebanon forward Zakaria Charara missing a gilt-edged chance early in the second half when he volleyed wide with just goalkeeper Sharbinee Allawee Ramli to beat.
"I'm disappointed with the result but not with the performance. I felt we deserved something but we only have ourselves to blame. A simple mistake allowed them to score.
"We had two or three chances ourselves but failed to convert," said KL coach Razip Ismail, whose team are anchored firmly at the foot of the table with just one point from nine matches and relegation now almost a near certainty.
Four Terengganu players involved in Malaysia's 1-1 friendly draw with Philippines last Wednesday only arrived on Friday and joined up with the team in Malacca on the day of the match, disrupting Mat Zan's preparations.
Muslim Ahmad, Ashaari Samsudin, Manaf Mamat and Zubir Azmi went straight into the starting line-up but Liberian striker Francis Doe made up for a disjointed display by scoring an opportunistic goal as Terengganu spurned several other chances which would have made for a more flattering scoreline.
"If we look at today's (Saturday) match, it was not our best performance. I was unhappy with the way the defence, midfield and the strikers played. Four players were away with the national team and only joined us today. So there was a lack of understanding between some of the players," said Mat Zan after the game at the Hang Jebat Stadium as Terengganu moved up to second in the standings.
Terengganu leave for Vinh, Vietnam today to take on V-League champions Song Lam Nghe An before returning home for an FA Cup second round tie against Perak on Saturday in a busy week for Mat Zan's boys.
"I hope our performances will pick up in the next game. Fatigue will be an issue because after Vietnam we return to play Perak in the FA Cup. This is going to be a tough week when we play three games in eight days and doing a lot of travelling," added Mat Zan, a KL legend now in his second stint with Terengganu.
KL could have made life difficult for Terengganu had they been sharper in front of goal with Lebanon forward Zakaria Charara missing a gilt-edged chance early in the second half when he volleyed wide with just goalkeeper Sharbinee Allawee Ramli to beat.
"I'm disappointed with the result but not with the performance. I felt we deserved something but we only have ourselves to blame. A simple mistake allowed them to score.
"We had two or three chances ourselves but failed to convert," said KL coach Razip Ismail, whose team are anchored firmly at the foot of the table with just one point from nine matches and relegation now almost a near certainty.
Sunday, 18 December 2011
Terengganu to have afternoon matches as stadiums floodlights not upgraded
The Terengganu state government will not upgrade the floodlights at the Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium although the existing lights did not meet the international standard.
Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said said the floodlights had been upgraded last year to meet the national standard of 800 lux while the international standard required was 3,000 lux.
"Since the international standard is 3,000 lux it will involve a high cost because new pillars and cables need to be installed.
"We do not want to carry out such upgrading work twice...people will call the government 'stupid' for such an act," he told reporters after attending a Wisma Darul Iman's Family Day at the Gong Badak Stadium near here Saturday.
Terengganu who have qualified for the Asian Club championship for the first time in its history after winning the FA Cup must upgrade the floodlights at the Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium to host their home matches.
He said the state government was not informed of the international standard requirement by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) or the Terengganu Football Association.
The state government would not have had any problem to install the floodlights as per the international standard if such a requirement was made known earlier (before the upgrading last year).
"Therefore, let the floodlights matter aside for the time being. If Terengganu are playing in the competition, they can still play in the afternoon," he said.
In the Asian Club Championship, Terengganu are drawn in Group F with Kitchee FC from Hong Kong, Song Lam Nghe An (Vietnam) and Tampenis Rovers (Singapore).
Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said said the floodlights had been upgraded last year to meet the national standard of 800 lux while the international standard required was 3,000 lux.
"Since the international standard is 3,000 lux it will involve a high cost because new pillars and cables need to be installed.
"We do not want to carry out such upgrading work twice...people will call the government 'stupid' for such an act," he told reporters after attending a Wisma Darul Iman's Family Day at the Gong Badak Stadium near here Saturday.
Terengganu who have qualified for the Asian Club championship for the first time in its history after winning the FA Cup must upgrade the floodlights at the Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium to host their home matches.
He said the state government was not informed of the international standard requirement by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) or the Terengganu Football Association.
The state government would not have had any problem to install the floodlights as per the international standard if such a requirement was made known earlier (before the upgrading last year).
"Therefore, let the floodlights matter aside for the time being. If Terengganu are playing in the competition, they can still play in the afternoon," he said.
In the Asian Club Championship, Terengganu are drawn in Group F with Kitchee FC from Hong Kong, Song Lam Nghe An (Vietnam) and Tampenis Rovers (Singapore).
Saturday, 17 December 2011
Kelantan to play Indonesian club in friendly matches
Kelantan will get an idea of what it will be like in their maiden foray into the AFC Cup next year when they play Indonesian club Persebaya in two friendly matches in Kota Baru and Surabaya later this month.
Coach Peter Butler is expected to field all four of his foreign signings as the matches against the Indonesian Premier League side will allow the players to familiarise themselves against Indonesian opponents after being drawn with Arema in Group H.
Kelantan FA president Tan Sri Annuar Musa had expressed hope the Super League champion will acquit themselves well in the AFC Cup, hence the decision to sign Lebanese players Mohammed Ghaddar and Zakaria Charara and Ghanaians Emmanuel Okine and Denny Antwi.
The first match will take place at the Sultan Mohammed IV Stadium in Kota Baru on Friday ahead of the return fixture five days later in Surabaya.
In between the two matches, Kelantan will travel to Kuala Lumpur to play the city side in a friendly at the Petaling Jaya Stadium on Christmas Day.
"The two matches will provide valuable experience to Kelantan when playing against a side as talented as Persebaya.
"It is the perfect pre-season competition for us," said Annuar in a statement.
Persebaya will be fielding their best players including Brazilian duo Otavio Dutra and Alexandre Da Silva Mariano and Australians Mario Karlovic and Andrew Barisic. Also in the squad is Indonesia international Andik Vermansyah.
Kelantan will kick off the season with the Charity Shield clash against Malaysia Cup champions Negri Sembilan on Jan 7 in Kota Baru before getting the defence of their league title underway three days later against Singapore LionsXII.
Coach Peter Butler is expected to field all four of his foreign signings as the matches against the Indonesian Premier League side will allow the players to familiarise themselves against Indonesian opponents after being drawn with Arema in Group H.
Kelantan FA president Tan Sri Annuar Musa had expressed hope the Super League champion will acquit themselves well in the AFC Cup, hence the decision to sign Lebanese players Mohammed Ghaddar and Zakaria Charara and Ghanaians Emmanuel Okine and Denny Antwi.
The first match will take place at the Sultan Mohammed IV Stadium in Kota Baru on Friday ahead of the return fixture five days later in Surabaya.
In between the two matches, Kelantan will travel to Kuala Lumpur to play the city side in a friendly at the Petaling Jaya Stadium on Christmas Day.
"The two matches will provide valuable experience to Kelantan when playing against a side as talented as Persebaya.
"It is the perfect pre-season competition for us," said Annuar in a statement.
Persebaya will be fielding their best players including Brazilian duo Otavio Dutra and Alexandre Da Silva Mariano and Australians Mario Karlovic and Andrew Barisic. Also in the squad is Indonesia international Andik Vermansyah.
Kelantan will kick off the season with the Charity Shield clash against Malaysia Cup champions Negri Sembilan on Jan 7 in Kota Baru before getting the defence of their league title underway three days later against Singapore LionsXII.
Monday, 12 December 2011
Terengganu to spend big next season
Terengganu are bracing for their most expensive football season ever.
At least RM5 million will be needed for the team to compete in all competitions next year including their debut AFC tournament.
Terengganu FA president Datuk Che Mat Jusoh said a sizeable amount will have to be allocated for the newly signed foreign players -- Brazillian midfielder Tercio Nunes Machado and Gambian striker Mohamadou Suamareh.
"We have spent close to RM500,000 just to have the two players registered as the the FA of Malaysia required a deposit in the amount equivalent to the players' salaries for three months," Che Mat disclosed.
"Keeping them for the whole season will be costly but we just do not have any choice as other title contenders in the league have strengthened their teams with foreign players for the new season."
Che Mat, who is also the team manager, said a separate budget has to be set aside for the AFC when the team will have to travel to Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam beginning March next year.
Terengganu have been drawn into Group H with Singapore's Tampines Rovers, Hong Kong's Kitchee and Vietnam's Song Lam Nghe An.
"The inclusion of Singapore in the league will also add to our expenses as well since we have to travel play them away at least once.
"A playing trip to Sabah costs over RM40,000 and chances are, it will be more expensive travelling to Singapore." Last year, Terengganu had an operating budget of RM3.5 million and Che Mat said the farthest place they had to travel to was Kota Kinabalu.
"Now we also have Sarawak in the Super League and we certainly cannot reach Kuching by bus.
"Logistically speaking, the only place we can drive to is Kota Baru, Kelantan and Kuantan, Pahang, but unfortunately Pahang are playing in the Premier League next year," Che Mat said on Saturday after handing incentives to the Malaysia Cup squad who lost to Negri Sembilan in the final.
Che Mat said each player received between RM3,000 and RM7,000 depending on their contribution in the Malaysia Cup campaign.
Meanwhile, Terengganu Youth and Sports Committee chairman Rozi Mamat, who was also present, said the state government will continue its financial support for the state team.
"We have yet to discuss on the amount to be allocated to both Terengganu and T-Team for the new season but chances are, we have nothing to worry about," he said.
At least RM5 million will be needed for the team to compete in all competitions next year including their debut AFC tournament.
Terengganu FA president Datuk Che Mat Jusoh said a sizeable amount will have to be allocated for the newly signed foreign players -- Brazillian midfielder Tercio Nunes Machado and Gambian striker Mohamadou Suamareh.
"We have spent close to RM500,000 just to have the two players registered as the the FA of Malaysia required a deposit in the amount equivalent to the players' salaries for three months," Che Mat disclosed.
"Keeping them for the whole season will be costly but we just do not have any choice as other title contenders in the league have strengthened their teams with foreign players for the new season."
Che Mat, who is also the team manager, said a separate budget has to be set aside for the AFC when the team will have to travel to Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam beginning March next year.
Terengganu have been drawn into Group H with Singapore's Tampines Rovers, Hong Kong's Kitchee and Vietnam's Song Lam Nghe An.
"The inclusion of Singapore in the league will also add to our expenses as well since we have to travel play them away at least once.
"A playing trip to Sabah costs over RM40,000 and chances are, it will be more expensive travelling to Singapore." Last year, Terengganu had an operating budget of RM3.5 million and Che Mat said the farthest place they had to travel to was Kota Kinabalu.
"Now we also have Sarawak in the Super League and we certainly cannot reach Kuching by bus.
"Logistically speaking, the only place we can drive to is Kota Baru, Kelantan and Kuantan, Pahang, but unfortunately Pahang are playing in the Premier League next year," Che Mat said on Saturday after handing incentives to the Malaysia Cup squad who lost to Negri Sembilan in the final.
Che Mat said each player received between RM3,000 and RM7,000 depending on their contribution in the Malaysia Cup campaign.
Meanwhile, Terengganu Youth and Sports Committee chairman Rozi Mamat, who was also present, said the state government will continue its financial support for the state team.
"We have yet to discuss on the amount to be allocated to both Terengganu and T-Team for the new season but chances are, we have nothing to worry about," he said.
Terengganu get funds for next season's campaign
The Terengganu Government will provide sufficient allocation to the state football team for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Malaysian Super League (M-League) outings next year.
State youth and sports committee chairman Rozi Mamat said the Terengganu Football Association (TFA) had been asked to prepare a detailed working paper on the matter.
"The state government will give due consideration to TFA's budget proposal," he told reporters after the presentation of the 2011 TFA Awards and Incentives here Sunday.
Also present at the event was TFA chairman Datuk Che Mat Jusoh and representatives of the Kuala Terengganu City Council.
Rozi said that next year, TFA needed to spend more as they had to go abroad for matches against Vietnam, Hong Kong and Singapore in the AFC Cup competition.
According to him, the RM3 million allocation provided by the state government previously would be insufficient to accommodate the team's AFC Cup and league Cup match expenses.
Terengganu succeeded in entering the AFC Cup for the first time with its season opening in March next year.
Terengganu has been placed in Group F with Kitchee from Hong Kong, Song Lam Nghe An of Vietnam and Tempenis Rovers from Singapore in the prestigious championship.
State youth and sports committee chairman Rozi Mamat said the Terengganu Football Association (TFA) had been asked to prepare a detailed working paper on the matter.
"The state government will give due consideration to TFA's budget proposal," he told reporters after the presentation of the 2011 TFA Awards and Incentives here Sunday.
Also present at the event was TFA chairman Datuk Che Mat Jusoh and representatives of the Kuala Terengganu City Council.
Rozi said that next year, TFA needed to spend more as they had to go abroad for matches against Vietnam, Hong Kong and Singapore in the AFC Cup competition.
According to him, the RM3 million allocation provided by the state government previously would be insufficient to accommodate the team's AFC Cup and league Cup match expenses.
Terengganu succeeded in entering the AFC Cup for the first time with its season opening in March next year.
Terengganu has been placed in Group F with Kitchee from Hong Kong, Song Lam Nghe An of Vietnam and Tempenis Rovers from Singapore in the prestigious championship.
Wednesday, 7 December 2011
Kelantan to play Indonesian club in AFC Cup
A Malaysian team will return to play in Indonesia next year after Super League champions Kelantan were grouped with Arema Indonesia in the AFC Cup draw in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
Kelantan can expect a hot reception when they travel to Malang, East Java to face Arema in a Group H match next April following Malaysia's win over Indonesia in the Sea Games final last month.
The Sea Games squad were relentlessly jeered and insulted while the team bus came under attack by Indonesian fans in dramatic scenes before the final at the Gelora Bung Karno in Jakarta.
Kelantan open their campaign on March 6 or 7 against Navibank Saigon of Vietnam in Kota Baru, travel to Ayeyawady United of Myanmar two weeks later before hosting Arema on April 3-4.
The return fixture against Arema follows a week later before Kelantan round off the preliminary round against Navibank away on April 24-25 and at home to Ayeyawady on May 8-9.
FA Cup winners Terengganu, who were originally due to play Ayeyawady in a playoff, found themselves in the main draw after the withdrawal of China's Liaoning Whowin and the disqualification of Indonesia's Persipura Jayapura from the 2012 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off East Asian zone.
That created two vacancies in the AFC Cup main draw and Terengganu were one of the beneficiaries.
Kelantan can expect a hot reception when they travel to Malang, East Java to face Arema in a Group H match next April following Malaysia's win over Indonesia in the Sea Games final last month.
The Sea Games squad were relentlessly jeered and insulted while the team bus came under attack by Indonesian fans in dramatic scenes before the final at the Gelora Bung Karno in Jakarta.
Kelantan open their campaign on March 6 or 7 against Navibank Saigon of Vietnam in Kota Baru, travel to Ayeyawady United of Myanmar two weeks later before hosting Arema on April 3-4.
The return fixture against Arema follows a week later before Kelantan round off the preliminary round against Navibank away on April 24-25 and at home to Ayeyawady on May 8-9.
FA Cup winners Terengganu, who were originally due to play Ayeyawady in a playoff, found themselves in the main draw after the withdrawal of China's Liaoning Whowin and the disqualification of Indonesia's Persipura Jayapura from the 2012 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off East Asian zone.
That created two vacancies in the AFC Cup main draw and Terengganu were one of the beneficiaries.
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Kelantan to play 4 foreign players in AFC Cup next season
Ambitious Kelantan do not intend to just make up the numbers in their AFC Cup debut next season.
Team manager Azman Ibrahim said they would be well-equipped to compete in the second-tier AFC competition as they would be fielding four foreign players.
“We began work last month and have engaged three foreign players so far,” Azman said in Seremban yesterday.
The new signings are strikers Mohd Ghaddar, 27, from Lebanon, Antwi Dennis Agyare, 18, and defensive midfielder Okine Emmanuel Ayaah, 19, both from Ghana.
The Red Warriors have also been strengthened by the return of strikers Indra Putra Mahayuddin, Mohd Norfarhan Mohd and centre-back Azizi Matt Rose, who played key roles in the side’s 2010 Malaysia Cup triumph. The trio played for T-Team last season.
Kelantan’s other notable new local signing is Azlan Ismail from Kedah.
Azman said they are now monitoring a fourth foreign player, defensive midfielder Albert Banning from Cameroon.
Kelantan, however, will only be allowed to register two foreign players in the Malaysian Super League (MSL) next season.
“We don’t want to be the whipping boys in the AFC Cup. That’s why we will be going in with four foreign players. We will have to decide which two will feature in the domestic competition,” said Azman.
Kelantan and Terengganu are Malaysia’s two representatives in the AFC Cup next year. The draw is scheduled for Dec 6.
Kelantan FA President Tan Sri Annuar Musa said they intended to raise the level of Malaysian football.
“We can’t go into the AFC Cup with a handicap by fielding only two foreign players when all the other clubs will have the maximum four. Our aim is to raise the bar and see that our clubs go beyond the quarter-final stage,” said Annuar.
No Malaysian team have got past the quarter-finals in the series. Selangor were the last Malaysian team to make an impact in the then Asian Club Championship – finishing runners-up to Hapoel Tel Aviv of Israel in the inaugural tournament in 1967.
Israel are now part of UEFA and Hapoel featured in the European Champions League this season.
Team manager Azman Ibrahim said they would be well-equipped to compete in the second-tier AFC competition as they would be fielding four foreign players.
“We began work last month and have engaged three foreign players so far,” Azman said in Seremban yesterday.
The new signings are strikers Mohd Ghaddar, 27, from Lebanon, Antwi Dennis Agyare, 18, and defensive midfielder Okine Emmanuel Ayaah, 19, both from Ghana.
The Red Warriors have also been strengthened by the return of strikers Indra Putra Mahayuddin, Mohd Norfarhan Mohd and centre-back Azizi Matt Rose, who played key roles in the side’s 2010 Malaysia Cup triumph. The trio played for T-Team last season.
Kelantan’s other notable new local signing is Azlan Ismail from Kedah.
Azman said they are now monitoring a fourth foreign player, defensive midfielder Albert Banning from Cameroon.
Kelantan, however, will only be allowed to register two foreign players in the Malaysian Super League (MSL) next season.
“We don’t want to be the whipping boys in the AFC Cup. That’s why we will be going in with four foreign players. We will have to decide which two will feature in the domestic competition,” said Azman.
Kelantan and Terengganu are Malaysia’s two representatives in the AFC Cup next year. The draw is scheduled for Dec 6.
Kelantan FA President Tan Sri Annuar Musa said they intended to raise the level of Malaysian football.
“We can’t go into the AFC Cup with a handicap by fielding only two foreign players when all the other clubs will have the maximum four. Our aim is to raise the bar and see that our clubs go beyond the quarter-final stage,” said Annuar.
No Malaysian team have got past the quarter-finals in the series. Selangor were the last Malaysian team to make an impact in the then Asian Club Championship – finishing runners-up to Hapoel Tel Aviv of Israel in the inaugural tournament in 1967.
Israel are now part of UEFA and Hapoel featured in the European Champions League this season.
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
Kelantan to sign 3 foreigners for AFC Cup
The Kelantan FA (Kafa) have plans to strengthen the Red Warrior squad for the AFC Cup competition by making use of the three-foreign player quota next season.
The FA of Malaysia (FAM) competition rules allow only two foreign players in the Malaysian Super League (MSL) next year but the east coast giants’ plan to hire an additional player just for the AFC Cup campaign.
Kelantan team manager Azman Ibrahim said they want to put up a formidable side to make an impace in the AFC Cup competition.
“This is the first time Kelantan will be represented in the AFC Cup and we want to give our best shot. We are planning to register an additional player just for the AFC Cup,” said Azman from Kota Baru yesterday.
Kelantan and Terengganu are the two representatives from Malaysia for the AFC Cup next year by virtue of being champions in the Super League and FA Cup competitions this year.
Selangor, the kingpins of Malaysian football, have showed a decline in the AFC Cup competition. Since they made their maiden appearance in the competition in 2006, their best result was making the quarter-final stage.
For the record, Selangor were the last Malaysian team to make an impact in the then Asian Club Championship – finishing as runners-up to Hapoel Tel Aviv of Israel in the inaugural tournament in 1967.
Kelantan, who have bagged the Charity Shield and the Super League titles are the frontrunners for the 16-team Malaysia Cup competition, which kicks off on Sept 6. Defending champions Kelantan are drawn in Group C with Johor FC, Felda United and Sarawak.
Coach Datuk M. Karathu will have more bite upfront after Kafa signed up Pahang strikers R. Surendren and Azamuddin Mohd Akil on loan for their Malaysia Cup campaign.
Kelantan are down to play Selangor in a friendly match at the Shah Alam Stadium today (10pm) and against Police at the Selayang MC Stadium tomorrow. On Monday, they defeated Kuala Lumpur 5-0 in a friendly.
Tickets for the Selangor-Kelantan friendly match are priced at RM5 while for children below 12 entrance is free. Tickets will be sold from 1pm at the Shah alam Stadium today.
The FA of Malaysia (FAM) competition rules allow only two foreign players in the Malaysian Super League (MSL) next year but the east coast giants’ plan to hire an additional player just for the AFC Cup campaign.
Kelantan team manager Azman Ibrahim said they want to put up a formidable side to make an impace in the AFC Cup competition.
“This is the first time Kelantan will be represented in the AFC Cup and we want to give our best shot. We are planning to register an additional player just for the AFC Cup,” said Azman from Kota Baru yesterday.
Kelantan and Terengganu are the two representatives from Malaysia for the AFC Cup next year by virtue of being champions in the Super League and FA Cup competitions this year.
Selangor, the kingpins of Malaysian football, have showed a decline in the AFC Cup competition. Since they made their maiden appearance in the competition in 2006, their best result was making the quarter-final stage.
For the record, Selangor were the last Malaysian team to make an impact in the then Asian Club Championship – finishing as runners-up to Hapoel Tel Aviv of Israel in the inaugural tournament in 1967.
Kelantan, who have bagged the Charity Shield and the Super League titles are the frontrunners for the 16-team Malaysia Cup competition, which kicks off on Sept 6. Defending champions Kelantan are drawn in Group C with Johor FC, Felda United and Sarawak.
Coach Datuk M. Karathu will have more bite upfront after Kafa signed up Pahang strikers R. Surendren and Azamuddin Mohd Akil on loan for their Malaysia Cup campaign.
Kelantan are down to play Selangor in a friendly match at the Shah Alam Stadium today (10pm) and against Police at the Selayang MC Stadium tomorrow. On Monday, they defeated Kuala Lumpur 5-0 in a friendly.
Tickets for the Selangor-Kelantan friendly match are priced at RM5 while for children below 12 entrance is free. Tickets will be sold from 1pm at the Shah alam Stadium today.
Saturday, 9 July 2011
Kelantan to import players for AFC Cup
The Kelantan Football Association (Kafa) will be seeking the services of imported players to beef up the Red Warriors in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup Championship next year.
Its president Tan Sri Annuar Musa said Kafa needed competitive imported players to face up to the best teams in the Asian continent.
"Kafa will be looking for players who have the capability to gel with the Kelantan squad and they will be tested first," he told reporters, here, today.
He had earlier received the Super League Cup won by Kelantan by emerging league champion with 56 points, ahead of Terengganu with 53 points and Selangor, 52 points from 26 matches.
Annuar who is also Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) deputy president, said Kafa was willing to dish out more funds to find quality players.
"I will not choose players based on the video demonstration tapes shown by player agents but will test the real capability of the players," he said.
Annuar said Kafa proposed to engage the services of players from Latin America, Africa or the Middle East.
"Kafa will definitely be recruiting imported players for the AFC Cup even though FAM does not allow the use of imported players in the Malaysia League next year," he said.
FAM has been considering opening its gate to imported players to fire up the Malaysia League competition but to date it has not made any decision.
In another development, Annuar appealed to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for Kelantan to be given an allocation to build a new stadium to replace the Sultan Muhamad IV Stadium regardless of the political situation in the state.
Najib during his visit to Kelantan last Saturday, promised a new stadium if Barisan Nasional succeeds in recapturing the state in the coming general election.
Annuar said the success of the Red Warriors in the Super League Cup made them the Malaysian representative to the AFC Cup and Sultan Muhamad IV Stadium, which is the home ground of the squad, would certainly not be able to meet the standards of AFC.
"This means Kelantan are forced to play at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil when we play host in the AFC Cup competition," he said.
The AFC Cup competition next year will be from March 3-18 and at the moment,
three countries, namely Maldives, Nepal and Palestine, have offered themselves
as host of the championship.
AFC is expected to select the host at its executive meeting on July 29.
Its president Tan Sri Annuar Musa said Kafa needed competitive imported players to face up to the best teams in the Asian continent.
"Kafa will be looking for players who have the capability to gel with the Kelantan squad and they will be tested first," he told reporters, here, today.
He had earlier received the Super League Cup won by Kelantan by emerging league champion with 56 points, ahead of Terengganu with 53 points and Selangor, 52 points from 26 matches.
Annuar who is also Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) deputy president, said Kafa was willing to dish out more funds to find quality players.
"I will not choose players based on the video demonstration tapes shown by player agents but will test the real capability of the players," he said.
Annuar said Kafa proposed to engage the services of players from Latin America, Africa or the Middle East.
"Kafa will definitely be recruiting imported players for the AFC Cup even though FAM does not allow the use of imported players in the Malaysia League next year," he said.
FAM has been considering opening its gate to imported players to fire up the Malaysia League competition but to date it has not made any decision.
In another development, Annuar appealed to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for Kelantan to be given an allocation to build a new stadium to replace the Sultan Muhamad IV Stadium regardless of the political situation in the state.
Najib during his visit to Kelantan last Saturday, promised a new stadium if Barisan Nasional succeeds in recapturing the state in the coming general election.
Annuar said the success of the Red Warriors in the Super League Cup made them the Malaysian representative to the AFC Cup and Sultan Muhamad IV Stadium, which is the home ground of the squad, would certainly not be able to meet the standards of AFC.
"This means Kelantan are forced to play at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil when we play host in the AFC Cup competition," he said.
The AFC Cup competition next year will be from March 3-18 and at the moment,
three countries, namely Maldives, Nepal and Palestine, have offered themselves
as host of the championship.
AFC is expected to select the host at its executive meeting on July 29.
Kelantan to enter next season’s AFC Cup
PETALING JAYA: Newly-crowned Super League champions Kelantan will compete in the AFC Cup next season.
“We have confirmed our participation in the AFC Cup next year and will do the necessary to be prepared for this big challenge ahead of us,” Kelantan Football Association (Kafa) president Tan Sri Annuar Musa said after the official Super League trophy presentation ceremony at the Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya yesterday.
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) did not submit any entries for the AFC Cup last year. The Malaysian teams were under-strength following the ban on foreign players.
On Tuesday, however, the FAM exco are expected to announce whether there will be any changes to the format of the Super League and Premier League and also if they will allow foreigners to play in the 2012 season.
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) did not submit any entries for the AFC Cup last year. The Malaysian teams were under-strength following the ban on foreign players.
On Tuesday, however, the FAM exco are expected to announce whether there will be any changes to the format of the Super League and Premier League and also if they will allow foreigners to play in the 2012 season.
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