Sabah set for winning start Rhinos face Armed Forces in opener tonight
KOTA KINABALU:
Sabah are all set to kick start their 2007/2008 Premier League campaign with a bang when they take on Armed Forces (ATM) at the Selayang Municipal Council Stadium tonight. Team Manager Rahman Zakaria believed a winning start would be important in terms of boosting the players’ confidence in facing the challenges ahead of them this season. Rahman said the team have prepared well for the new season under chief coach Drago Mamic. “It is time to show our hard work preparing for the new season will not go down the drain… we are ready for the Premier League as well as the FA Cup and Malaysia Cup,” he said. “We will be playing our first game tomorrow (today) and a victory will be important. “I have confidence in the team to deliver the result as the players are in top shape and the spirit in the team is high… we will be going all out for the maximum points,” he added. Having said that, Rahman was however cautious and reminded the players of complacency against ATM who are no pushovers. “I want to remind here also that all the players will have to fight for their first team places and they are no automatic choice,” he said. “Fighting for first team places should create a healthy competition among the players that would eventually see them giving the best in training and most importantly during matches.
“I believe the coach has his best players to win the match,” he said. Drago has named an 18-member squad for the trip with Irwan Jamil expected to start in goal while Mohd Salawi Jasad, who makes the trip in place of the usual second choice Harold John who is down with fever, is his deputy. The rest of the squad are skipper Rosdin Wasli, Munir Imran, Wong Sai Kong, Zulamri Muhamad, Zuraindey Jumai, Chow Chee Wing, Nafuzi Zain, Zainizam Marjan. Bobby Gonzalez, Salvester Sindeh, Eddie Gapil, Radzi Hussin, Azrul Ejati Damsah and Hardy Parsi as well as foreign imports Dragic Dalibor and Jamie Phoenix. Thirteen teams, including debutants ProtonFC, Felda United FC and the national Under-19 squad, will be competing in the Premier League, which offers two automatic promotion spots to the elite Super League.
The rest of the teams are Melaka, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Kelantan, Selangor PKNS, Kuala Muda Naza, Shahzan Muda and KL Plus FC.
KOTA KINABALU:
Sabah are all set to kick start their 2007/2008 Premier League campaign with a bang when they take on Armed Forces (ATM) at the Selayang Municipal Council Stadium tonight. Team Manager Rahman Zakaria believed a winning start would be important in terms of boosting the players’ confidence in facing the challenges ahead of them this season. Rahman said the team have prepared well for the new season under chief coach Drago Mamic. “It is time to show our hard work preparing for the new season will not go down the drain… we are ready for the Premier League as well as the FA Cup and Malaysia Cup,” he said. “We will be playing our first game tomorrow (today) and a victory will be important. “I have confidence in the team to deliver the result as the players are in top shape and the spirit in the team is high… we will be going all out for the maximum points,” he added. Having said that, Rahman was however cautious and reminded the players of complacency against ATM who are no pushovers. “I want to remind here also that all the players will have to fight for their first team places and they are no automatic choice,” he said. “Fighting for first team places should create a healthy competition among the players that would eventually see them giving the best in training and most importantly during matches.
“I believe the coach has his best players to win the match,” he said. Drago has named an 18-member squad for the trip with Irwan Jamil expected to start in goal while Mohd Salawi Jasad, who makes the trip in place of the usual second choice Harold John who is down with fever, is his deputy. The rest of the squad are skipper Rosdin Wasli, Munir Imran, Wong Sai Kong, Zulamri Muhamad, Zuraindey Jumai, Chow Chee Wing, Nafuzi Zain, Zainizam Marjan. Bobby Gonzalez, Salvester Sindeh, Eddie Gapil, Radzi Hussin, Azrul Ejati Damsah and Hardy Parsi as well as foreign imports Dragic Dalibor and Jamie Phoenix. Thirteen teams, including debutants ProtonFC, Felda United FC and the national Under-19 squad, will be competing in the Premier League, which offers two automatic promotion spots to the elite Super League.
The rest of the teams are Melaka, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Kelantan, Selangor PKNS, Kuala Muda Naza, Shahzan Muda and KL Plus FC.
