Injuries to first choice players continued to plague Terengganu as four players are expected to be out of action for their Super League match against Sabah on Saturday.
Team manager Datuk Che Mat Jusoh said skipper Marzuki Yusof, Mohd Muhaimin Omar, Ahmad Nordin Alias and Reeshafiq Alwi, all first team players have yet to recover from injuries.
"Marzuki has undergone a knee surgery and still recovering while the three others are also nursing injuries. However, despite injuries to the four main players, we hope to pull through since we be playing against Sabah on home turf," he told Bernama here today.
Che Mat who is also the Terengganu Football Association president said the absence of the quartet would give youngsters Muslim Ahmad and Mohd Shukur Jusoh to prove their worth.
"Sabah's performance has not been consistent but we are not going to underestimate their strength," he said.
Friday, 16 March 2012
Thursday, 15 March 2012
Malaysian coach Rajagobal not worried about poor form of team
National coach Datuk K. Rajagobal kept his cool when asked to comment on FA deputy president Tan Sri Annuar Musa's negative comments in regards to the recent yo-yo performances of his team.
Annuar, at the launch of a fan club forum in Shah Alam on Tuesday, questioned whether Malaysia were good enough to defend their Suzuki AFF Cup following a series of poor performances and also touched on the unacceptable excuses offered from the parties concerned.
"Tan Sri (Annuar) has his own views and I do not want to comment on them. I've not been using some of my best players since our defeat to Singapore in the second round of the World Cup Qualifiers in July," said Rajagobal.
"I've tried about 50 players in recent international and club friendly matches. My goal is to get a bigger pool of quality players but to have that base I need to test them in matches.
"I would like to continue with my task of testing players for the next few months before I see my best available players for the AFF Cup. I will have the players in mind for the AFF Cup, four or five months prior to the tournament.
"We will have several weeks to prepare for the AFF Cup after the Malaysia Cup final in October and I believe we will play some quality friendly matches then."
The AFF Cup, co-hosted by Malaysia and Thailand, is scheduled to be played between Nov 24 and Dec 22.
A special ceremony was held at Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya to honour Rajagobal for his contribution to local football. He was honoured with the 'Outstanding Achievement for Sports' award, presented by the Malaysia Achievement Organisation (MAO).
MAO presented awards to several Malaysian high achievers last month but Rajagobal could not attend the ceremony due to commitments with the national team.
Critics have been harsh on Rajagobal for the recent poor form of the national team. Malaysia's last international victory was against Taiwan (2-1) in the first round of the World Cup Qualifiers and since then, have played seven 'A' matches and not won any of them.
The national team played their first international match of the season against the Philippines on Feb 29 where they needed an injury time goal from Shakir Ali to force a 1-1 draw.
Rajagobal admitted that it was tough for FAM to arrange 'A' international matches in view of the Olympics and the World Cup Qualifiers. The team, however, will play Singapore in a two-leg friendly tie in June.
"We have written to several FAs but some of them have replied that their national players were committed to either the domestic league or international competitions. We are, however, trying other avenues to get matches," Rajagobal added.
Annuar, at the launch of a fan club forum in Shah Alam on Tuesday, questioned whether Malaysia were good enough to defend their Suzuki AFF Cup following a series of poor performances and also touched on the unacceptable excuses offered from the parties concerned.
"Tan Sri (Annuar) has his own views and I do not want to comment on them. I've not been using some of my best players since our defeat to Singapore in the second round of the World Cup Qualifiers in July," said Rajagobal.
"I've tried about 50 players in recent international and club friendly matches. My goal is to get a bigger pool of quality players but to have that base I need to test them in matches.
"I would like to continue with my task of testing players for the next few months before I see my best available players for the AFF Cup. I will have the players in mind for the AFF Cup, four or five months prior to the tournament.
"We will have several weeks to prepare for the AFF Cup after the Malaysia Cup final in October and I believe we will play some quality friendly matches then."
The AFF Cup, co-hosted by Malaysia and Thailand, is scheduled to be played between Nov 24 and Dec 22.
A special ceremony was held at Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya to honour Rajagobal for his contribution to local football. He was honoured with the 'Outstanding Achievement for Sports' award, presented by the Malaysia Achievement Organisation (MAO).
MAO presented awards to several Malaysian high achievers last month but Rajagobal could not attend the ceremony due to commitments with the national team.
Critics have been harsh on Rajagobal for the recent poor form of the national team. Malaysia's last international victory was against Taiwan (2-1) in the first round of the World Cup Qualifiers and since then, have played seven 'A' matches and not won any of them.
The national team played their first international match of the season against the Philippines on Feb 29 where they needed an injury time goal from Shakir Ali to force a 1-1 draw.
Rajagobal admitted that it was tough for FAM to arrange 'A' international matches in view of the Olympics and the World Cup Qualifiers. The team, however, will play Singapore in a two-leg friendly tie in June.
"We have written to several FAs but some of them have replied that their national players were committed to either the domestic league or international competitions. We are, however, trying other avenues to get matches," Rajagobal added.
Malaysia complete Olympic qualiferis losing all matches
Malaysia wrapped up their dismal Olympic football qualifying campaign without a single point.
National Under-23 coach Ong Kim Swee’s boys fell to their sixth consecutive defeat in the Asian Zone Group C qualifying tournament going down 3-0 to Syria at the King Abdullah International Stadium in Jordan last night.
Striker Mardek Mardkian scored a brace (48th and 68th) before Omar Al Suma (80th) added the third.
In earlier matches, Malaysia lost by identical 2-0 margins to Japan and Syria before going down to Bahrain 3-2 and 2-1. On Feb 22, Malaysia suffered their biggest loss to fancied Japan 4-0 at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
Asia has 3.5 slots for the 2012 London Olympics. The three group winners will win automatic slots while the runners-up will compete in a playoff, with the winner playing an African representative for the last ticket to the Games.
National Under-23 coach Ong Kim Swee’s boys fell to their sixth consecutive defeat in the Asian Zone Group C qualifying tournament going down 3-0 to Syria at the King Abdullah International Stadium in Jordan last night.
Striker Mardek Mardkian scored a brace (48th and 68th) before Omar Al Suma (80th) added the third.
In earlier matches, Malaysia lost by identical 2-0 margins to Japan and Syria before going down to Bahrain 3-2 and 2-1. On Feb 22, Malaysia suffered their biggest loss to fancied Japan 4-0 at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
Asia has 3.5 slots for the 2012 London Olympics. The three group winners will win automatic slots while the runners-up will compete in a playoff, with the winner playing an African representative for the last ticket to the Games.
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.
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