Alberts’s Midas touch rules Crocs

KUCHING: “Robert Alberts strong leadership quality as well as the dedication has brought Sarawak into another level in nation’s football scene.
Thus, his positive attributes have brought sense of belonging to the players,” said Sarawak football Fan Club president Peter Moni Selat.

He added that ever since he took over from former Sarawak head coach Mohd Zaki Shaikh Ahmad on April 4, Alberts had proven to the fans that the players were able to rise to occasion through correct guidance.

“The Crocs game-style were totally different from the last season, now they showed great sense of team work, communication as well as adapting intelligently to situation during matches,” he enthused.
“Fans have been rejoicing since Sarawak gained promotion into Super League after thrashing Penang USM FC 4-1 in the Premier League match at the State stadium here recently.

Sarawak’s top players such as Bobby Gonzales, Zamri Morshidi, Ashri Chuchu
and keeper Aidil Mohamad had performed incredibly since the beginning of the season.
Meanwhile Peter on behalf of the Sarawak Football Fan Club expressed their gratitude to Alberts and the Football Association’s of Sarawak (FAS) president Datu Sudarsono Osman for their hard work and commitment towards the state squad.

“We strongly believe his presence (Sudarsono) at the stadium in every matches had encouraged the players to give their best,” he added.

Recently both Premier League powerhouse Sarawak and the Selangor PKNS have voiced out their disappointment with the Football Association’s of Malaysia’s (FAM) proposal to reduce the number of teams in next year’s Super League to 10 from the present 14.

If the new format is to be implemented next year, efforts to gain promotion to top flight will be meaningless.

Howerver, Sudarsono had recently written to FAM , voicing out FAS’ concern.
Like any other loyal Sarawak fans, he hoped that FAM would reconsider implementing the proposal.
Meanwhile,Selangor PKNS secretary Mahfizul Ruisydin Andul Rashid had also appealed to the Sport’s national governing body to stick to its promise of allowing two automatic slots, Premier League champions and runner-up to compete in the Super League next season.

Rajagobal Uji Pemain Kebangsaan Di Hong Kong

KELANA JAYA, 29 Mei (Bernama) -- Perlawanan persahabatan antara skuad bola sepak Malaysia dan Hong Kong Jumaat ini akan menjadi medan pemilihan mengisi kekosongan pasukan kelayakan Piala Dunia.

Ketua Jurulatih skuad bola sepak kebangsaan K. Rajagobal berkata pemilihan pemain akan dibuat berdasarkan persembahan mereka ketika beraksi menentang Hong Kong.

Beliau berkata sehubungan itu, pemain perlu bermain bersungguh-sungguh jika ingin dipilih.

"Saya ingin melihat sejauh mana kemampuan setiap pemain sebagai persiapan untuk menghadapi Piala Dunia 2014 di Brazil nanti," katanya kepada pemberita di sini.

Rajagobal berkata tujuan beliau menyenaraikan sepuluh pemain baru adalah untuk memberi peluang kepada mereka dan melihat sama ada sesuai diserapkan ke dalam skuad kebangsaan.

Seramai 21 orang yang dipanggil Rajagobal melaporkan diri bagi menyertai kem latihan petang ini kecuali pemain kebangsaan Safee Sali, Baddrol Bakhtiar dan Abdul Hadi Hamid, yang akan hadir esok.

Rajagobal berkata beliau tidak akan memberi tekanan kepada Safee pada perlawanan itu nanti, sebaliknya yakin pemain yang kini bermain untuk Kelab Pelita Jaya Indonesia tersebut mampu beraksi dengan baik, walaupun telah lama tidak bersama skuad kebangsaan.

"Saya yakin Safee tahu cara permaian yang kita kehendaki, dan saya tidak perlu bimbang dan beri tekanan kepada beliau," katanya.

Beliau berkata daripada 24 pemain yang dipanggil menyertai kem latihan bermula petang ini, hanya 22 orang akan dibawa ke Hong Kong.

Antara pemain yang menyertai kem itu ialah Nasril Nourdin, Syed Adney Syed Hussein, Nasriq Baharom, Hisyamudin Shaari, Helmi Remeli, Shahrom Kalam, Farisham Ismail, Ismail Faruqi Ashari, Abdul Hadi Yahaya dan Safee Sali.

-- BERNAMA

It’s back to night matches for newly-promoted S’wak

KUCHING: Sup e r L e a g u e - b o u n d Sarawak will be playing at the Sarawak Stadium for the coming Malaysia Cup competition scheduled to be held in July.

F o o t b a l l A s s o c i a t i o n o f Sarawak (FAS) deputypresident Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki said the state’s Social Development and Urbanisation Ministry had given the nod to FAS to play at the 40,000-seat capacity Sarawak Stadium allowing the all Malaysia Cup home matches to be played at 8.15pm.

“We may also play our Premier League match against the league leaders Selangor PKNS at the Sarawak Stadium but are still awaiting confirmation from the ministry,” he told Bernama here yesterday.

Presently, Sarawak’s home matches are all played at 4.15pm at the State Stadium which has resulted in many complaints from local fans.

In January, Sarawak Social Development and Urbanisation Minister, Datuk Sri William Mawan was quoted as saying that the Sarawak Stadium was being renovated and upgraded in preparation for the Malaysia Games.

Mawan said the floodlights would be upgraded in line with the standard set by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).

Meanwhile, Mohamad said FAS would reward the players after meeting the target of Super League promotion for next season.

“Of course we have incentives for them (players) but let FAS president Datuk Sudarsono Osman announce it at a proper time,” he said.

Sarawak thrashed Penang USM FC 4-1 at the State Stadium yesterday cementing their second place in the Premier League and at the same time virtually assuring the Crocs of a place in the lucrative Super League.

- Bernama -