GUNNING FOR A HAT-TRICK

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah are hoping to usher their New Year with a hat-trick victory as they face what is dubbed as their first “real test” of the season by taking on Kuala Lumpur in an away battle at the KLFA Stadium in Cheras tonight.

After registering two convincing victories in their previous games, the Rhinos will go into the match brimming with confidence!

However, they are also facing unfamiliar pressure as expectations are also high for them to keep the winning momentum going.

With Kuala Lumpur their opponents on the night, the Rhinos will surely have to put in extra effort to ensure they will enter the New Year with an unbeaten record and remain at the top of the 13-team standings.

“It’s been a superb first two games for the team,” commented Rahman Zakaria. “But I would like to remind the players not to get carried away too easily.

“We shouldn’t take things for granted and we must put up our best show in every match we play.

“After the two good wins, I don’t want the players to try and take things easy because we will get punished for being complacent.

“They must realise that our journey is still a long way to go and we must keep moving forward and look ahead for better results,” the Rhinos’ team manager added.

On the match against Kuala Lumpur, Rahman said they must treat the game seriously like any other game.

He admitted this is going to be a tough one, but believes the team are able to handle the challenge ahead of them especially after the two stunning victories.

“Like the first two games, this one is no different and it is not going to be an easy task for us. We have to go out there and play our hearts out to earn the points,” he said.

“Like I said earlier, we must try to keep our momentum going. As long as we try our best, I’m very sure we will be rewarded at the end of the day.

Rahman hinted that the Rhinos’ head coach is expected to stick to his winning side, adding that if there are any changes it will be minor and only for tactical reasons.

“All the players that made the trip to Tawau are available for the clash, so I see no reason why there should be any major changes to the first eleven.

“I’m sure if there are any, it will be because of our game plan and nothing more. The players who have seen action for the team in the last two games have done well, and I think they deserve to be given more chances to play,” said Rahman.

Sabah currently occupy the top spot in the standings with a maximum six points after two games into the season.

They thrashed Armed Forces 4-0 in an away battle in the opener, before trouncing Premier League new boys Proton FC 4-1 in their first home game at the Tawau Sports Complex on Friday.

As for Kuala Lumpur, they are two points behind the Rhinos.

They defeated Melaka 1-0 at home in the opener before being held to a two-all draw by Shahzan Muda in an away battle in the last game. The four points earned sees them in third behind the Rhinos and second placed Johor, who are level on six points, but the Rhinos are holding a superior goal average to stay in pole position.

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KEEP IT UP!

KOTA KINABALU: Drago Mamic yesterday reminded the Rhinos that the good show must continue!

The Croatian said anything can happen from now on and they must continue to work hard.

“It is only the beginning so it is important for the team to continue with the winning momentum.

“It is good to see they did well in our first two matches, but they must realise that they have to keep up the good work,” Drago said.

It has been years since Sabah last recorded this kind of impressive run in their campaign.

Their 4-0 victory over Armed Forces in the opener followed by the convincing 4-1 win over Proton FC on Friday clearly points to better things ahead for the Rhinos.

Even Drago admitted that he has a squad that is hungry for success.

In those two games, Drago said the players have shown that they can compete with any team.

They have also showed quality as well, he added.

But then again, he said the players shouldn’t get carried away too easily.

“I will keep reminding them that we have to keep improving all the time.

“I’m very pleased to see how they handled the pressure in both games, and with this kind of attitude, spirit and commitment, I’m very sure we can realise our dreams of ending the team’s title drought.

“Now I’m bringing into the team a winning mentality. We must try to win every game be it away or at home. At the same time we must treat all teams the same.

And what is more pleasing to see was that the Rhinos won the battle against Proton FC with only one foreign player in the squad in Dragic Dalibor.

Another foreign player Jamie Phoenix is still recuperating from injury and remains doubtful for the Rhinos’ away clash against Kuala Lumpur on Dec 31.

Drago is expecting the Englishman to be back into the team when they take on Johor at home on Jan 4.

He said he is in no hurry in putting Jamie into action until he is fully recovered.

“I have faith in the local players and I’m very satisfied with what they have shown me.

“From the beginning I have already said that I’m going to make this team based on local players because all this while we have been depending too much on the foreign players.

“So I’m very satisfied with the answer the players (local) have given me.

“I can say that the best is yet to come from the team. When we have all our three foreign imports in the team, I think we will be much stronger.

Drago also expressed his sincere thanks to the fans for supporting the team.

“Your support means a lot to the team, especially the players. I really hope more will come for our next home game against Johor FC,” said Drago.

Against Proton FC, Chow Chee Wing scored twice for the Rhinos, while Bobby Gonzalez and Mohd Nafuzi Zain netted a goal each, while Auguma Stanley scored the consolation goal for the visitors.

The Rhinos jetted to the national capital from Tawau yesterday for their scheduled clash against Kuala Lumpur.

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RHINOS STRETCH UNBEATEN RUN!

TAWAU: Sabah continued with their fine start to the season by thrashing Premier League new boys Proton FC 4-1 at the Tawau Sports Complex last night. Chow Chee Weng scored twice for the homesters, while Bobby Gonzalez and Mohd Nafuzi Zain netted a goal each. Proton FC scored the consolation goal through Auguma Stanley Ogochujkwu late in the game.

Despite playing without Englishman Jamie Phoenix due to injury, Sabah started aggressively and managed to take the lead when Chow nodded home the opener in the 29th minute.

Chow could have extended the lead soon afterwards but this time his shot went wide. However, striker Bobby Gonzales managed to help Sabah take a healthy lead at half-time by slotting home the second goal in the 40th minute.

After the break, Proton FC tried hard to make a comeback, but the Rhinos proved to be too hot to handle. In the 77th minute, Nafuzi add more salt to the already wounded Proton FC by scoring the third goal.

The former international midfielder easily slotted home from the spot after Azrul Ejati Damsah was brought down inside the penalty box. Three minutes later Chow scored his second to put the game beyond doubt before Auguma scored the consolation for Proton three minutes from regulation time.

The victory helped Sabah maintain their position at the top of the table with the maximum six points after two games. They demolished Armed Forces 4-0 in an away battle in the opener last week.

“It was another superb performance from the boys. We must congratulate them for a job well done,” a delighted team manager Rahman Zakaria commented when met after the game.

“So now it is important for the team to maintain the momentum,” he added. “On behalf of the team, I would also like to say a big thank you to the fans for supporting the team. I hope more fans will come in our coming matches,” said Rahman.

More than 5,000 fans turned up for the Rhinos’ first home match of the season.

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NO ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY

KOTA KINABALU: The Rhinos have been warned not to underestimate Proton FC when they take on the Premier League new boys in their first home match of the season at the Tawau Sports Complex tonight.

Drago Mamic said there is no reason for them to take Proton FC lightly, especially after they made their winning debut over seasoned campaigners Shahzan Muda in the opener.

Furthermore, the Rhinos’ head coach pointed out that there is no room for any slip-ups if they hope to do well this season.

“We shouldn’t take this game lightly just because of past results. Before the job is done, we have to play our game and forget about the past. We have to look at the future, not the past.


“To be a winner we have to be consistent throughout the season,” Drago said, adding that they need to start producing the results right from the start.

Both Sabah and Proton FC will go into the match on a high having won their respective opening games last week.

Sabah thrashed Armed Forces 4-0 in an away battle, while Proton FC defeated Shahzan Muda 3-1 at home.

But Drago said this will be another battle that they must win.

While happy with the victory in the opener, he said it is important for the team to start on the same note at home.

“This will be one of the three games we will be playing in eight days. So it is very important for us to win this one. After this we will play Kuala Lumpur (Dec 31) away, before taking on Johor (Jan 4).

“We have to capitalise on our homeground advantage to get the points, and I hope the players realise how important it is for us not to lose any points in home battles,” he said.

“But I’m confident of the team and we have a big enough squad for these three matches.

“Furthermore, I also want the local players to take the opportunity to prove themselves and that this team will not rely solely on foreign players.

“I want the local players to realise that the presence of the foreign players is to spice up the team, but the base of the team will lie on the local players,” Drago said.

Drago said that as long as the Rhinos play to their true capabilities, he sees no reason why they shouldn’t continue with their winning run.

Meanwhile team manager Rahman Zakaria wants the players – whoever sees action tonight – to give their level best on the battlefield.

He said that the team will be counting on them to produce the desired result.

“We have had a good start to the season and I hope to see us continue with that.

At the same time, Rahman also urged the Tawau fans to come in full force to support the team.

“Our colours will be red so I hope the fans can turn up in red as well to show their support,” Rahman said.

Sabah may have had a good start, but Proton FC are a team that they certainly cannot afford to take lightly.

While there may be new kids on the block, but it is only by name as they have been recruiting several seasoned and former national players in the likes of Zami Mohd Nor, Fareed Shah Hassan, Jamsari Sabian to name a few.

Drago is expected to make one or two changes to the winning squad – a decision based on tactical reasons.

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2006/07

Scorers	League	FA Cup	M Cup	Total
Charles Obi	13	3	10	26
Ijiebor Prince Guy	3	2	1	6
Sylvester Sindih	3	-	2	5
Chow Chee Weng	1	-	3	4
Arkadiusz Jerzy	2	-	1	3
Azrul Ejati Damsah	-	2	1	3
Bobby Gonzales	2	-	-	2
Mohd Radzi Hussin	1	-	1	2
Felisberto de Oliveira	-	-	2	2
S.Sunder	1	-	-	1
Zulamri Muhammad	-	-	1	1
Own Goal	-	1	1	2
Total	26	8	23	57

VS	LEAGUE		FA CUP			MALAYSIA CUP
	HOME	AWAY	HOME	AWAY	STAGE	HOME	AWAY	STAGE
PDRM FC	3-1	1-1				1-2	4-3	GROUP
ATM FC	0-1	2-0
JOHOR FA	2-2	0-1
KELANTAN FA	1-1	1-1
KL PLUS FC	1-2	1-1
KUALA LUMPUR FA	2-0	0-1
KUALA MUDA NAZA FC	0-0	2-1
PKNS FC	2-2	2-3
SHAHZAN MUDA FC	1-1	0-0
UPB-MY TEAM FC	3-1	2-1
PERLIS FA			2-2	0-3	Q/FINAL
JOHOR FC				4-3	2ND ROUND
MALACCA FA			2-1		1ST ROUND
PERAK FA						1-1	1-2	S/FINAL
						1-0	1-1	GROUP
NEGERI SEMBILAN FA						3-1	0-1	Q/FINAL
KEDAH FA						1-1	1-1	GROUP
PAHANG FA						3-0	1-0	GROUP
SARAWAK FA						3-0	2-3	GROUP

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DRAGO DEMANDS

KOTA KINABALU: Drago Mamic demands “consistent performances” from his charges!

The Croatian believes that only by doing so can they achieve glory this season.

“We have to be consistent to stay on the winning track,” the Rhinos’ head coach said.

“Even though it is impossible for us to play or show the same kind of performances in all our games, but it is important for us to at least maintain our playing level.

“We have to set our own level and must try to maintain it even when it is not our day. We must not perform below our own capabilities, abilities or strengths,” he added.

And Drago also believes he has a team that is capable of mounting the State’s challenge in the M-League this season.

However, he was quick to point out that they must put their feet on the ground at all times.

“As I have said all along, in football you will never be satisfied after just one game. There must be continuity. You have to work hard everyday.

“But I’m happy to see there is hunger in this team. I can finally say that now we are really looking like a team.

On the Rhinos’ resounding 4-0 victory over Armed Forces in the opener on Monday, Drago said he was happy with the way the team approached the game.

“The team played well … tactically. We played our (own) game throughout and we showed patience in the game.

“This was only our first game, but we showed quality. The result is after a good game. And I’m very happy that we produced goals, not only from one particular player, but from different players.

“This clearly shows that we are not depending on one player. What I can say is we won the game with team effort. Any of the players can score, from the strikers, defenders as well as midfielders.

“I’m also pleased to see we managed to pass the ball around and play to our own rhythm.

“Even though we are not 100 per cent, but we managed to score four goals and keep a clean sheet which is flattering,” he said.

“However, I would like to remind the players that it is important for us to work hard for the whole season instead of just for one game.

“We must be able to keep our feet on the ground throughout the season in order to stay on track (of winning).

“This is just our first game, and we don’t really know what it is going to be like after five or six games. So we need to be prepared at all times. Furthermore, this result (against Armed Forces) will mean nothing if we cannot win against Proton FC in our first home game next week,” Drago said.

For the upcoming game against Proton FC, Drago hinted making minor changes to his winning squad.

“I think we need to make one or two changes to our first team. Not that there is something wrong with any of the players who started the game against Armed Forces, but these changes are just our tactical approaches. When we play a home game, we need to be more offensive while in away battles, we need to be more cautious in our approach.

“As I have said earlier, overall I’m very happy with the team and the players. These changes are just our game plan and nothing more!

On the Rhinos’ search for their third foreign player, Drago said that they are not rushing into signing the said player.

“We are looking, but we are not in a hurry. What is important is for us to sign a player with good quality who can fit into the team immediately.

“At the moment, the current squad is good enough to spearhead our challenge, and maybe by January we may need to sign the new player because by then things will get tougher.

“We will also play a lot of games by then as the FA Cup also takes place. So we need cover for injuries as well as suspensions,” Drago said.

In the game against the Armed Forces, Jamie Anthony Lawrence Phoenix, Bobby Gonzalez, Zuraindey Jumai and Nafuzi Zain scored a goal each for the Rhinos.

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‘We have a chance to end our title drought’

KOTA KINABALU: Dragic Dalibor believes the Rhinos have a decent chance to end their title drought!

The Bosnia-Herzegovina defender insists they have a side that is capable of achieving success, especially with the arrival of several new players, who he said would certainly strengthen the team for the new season.

“We have good players in the team, and I firmly believe that with hard work, sheer determination, and high spirit, we can do well this new season,” said Dragic, in his first interview with the local press since his arrival in the State at the start of the Malaysia Cup campaign last season.

Dragic who speaks little English needed the help of the Rhinos’ head coach Drago Mamic to make this interview possible.

Dragic said this time around, the Rhinos are more well-balanced adding that the competition in the team is even more competitive than last season.

“I’m proud and happy to be in the team. I’m very satisfied with what I’ve seen here … the set up and everything. So I really hope we will keep winning and do well and get promoted.

“We need to give something for the fans to cheer about, which I think they certainly deserve.

But as much as Dragic wants to play in Tawau, he said that it would be better if the Rhinos could play at the Likas Stadium.

“Without any disrespect to the fans in Tawau, I would really love to play at the Likas Stadium. I don’t know why, but I feel that it would be great if we could play at the Likas Stadium. I really hope the authorities concerned would sort out the problem at the Stadium,” said Dragic.

Dragic, 35, will surely be the livewire of the team.

He is one of the most experienced guys in the Rhinos’ defence, having the experience of playing in the UEFA Championships for several years.

This is his first outing in Asia and Sabah should be glad to have him in their team.

On Malaysian football, Dragic said that it is kind of funny to see that there is not much difference between the Super League and the Premier League.

“Honestly to me there is no difference. You can see this in the Malaysia Cup. For instance, last season, we were playing against so many Super League sides, including the champions Kedah as well as Perak.

“But when you look at the games that we played against them, you can’t see much difference between the two teams.

Nevertheless, Dragic said that the future for Malaysian football looks bright as long as the local players are willing to work hard to achieve success.

“It is very interesting to see that the local players here have explosive power. They have good speed as well. Maybe tactically they are still behind, but I believe that this will improve gradually with proper development programmes.

“For instance, in the team, we have players like Ejati (Azrul Ejati Damsah), Alif (Radzi Hussin) as well as Zulamri (Muhammad) who have explosive power as well as speed. I believe these players can even play in Europe, but before that they must keep improving their game,” Dragic said.

Dragic also loves it here in Sabah.

He said that here they have wonderful people and that he is planning to bring his family here.

On the team, he said that the arrival of players such as Jamie Phoenix, Nafuzi Zain, Wong Sai Kong as well as Zuraindey Jumai to name a few, would certainly give the Rhinos a chance to win silverware.

Glancing back at his career, Dragic, a father of a 10-year-old son, started his professional career with FC Borac in the Bosnian League. This is a club where he met former Sabah tough-tackling defender Veselin Kovacevic.

He said that he was Veselin’s junior at the club.

Dragic has also had stints with several top clubs in Europe and among them are FC Levski Sofia – former Bulgarian League champions.

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GUNNING FOR A WINNING START

KOTA KINABALU: Rahman Zakaria wants the Rhinos to make an early impression when they kick off their Premier League 2007-2008 challenge against the Armed Forces at the Selayang Municipal Council Stadium tonight.

He said it would be good for the team to start their season on a winning note as it could help instill confidence in the team.

“We have been preparing the team for about two months or so, and I’m delighted to note that our preparations under our head coach Drago Mamic have been solid.

“So now it is time for the team to show that they are ready and capable to compete not only in the Premier League, but also in the FA Cup or the Malaysia Cup,” the Rhinos’ team manager said.

“Although this is only the first game, it is important for us to get cracking from the first whistle.

“I hope the players will play their hearts out and try to get full points out of this game.

“I’m happy to see that the players are in tip top condition and we will parade our best squad to get the best possible result,” he added.

“As we can see in training, all of them look to be in the fighting mood. Spirit in the team is pretty high as well.

“But then again, I would like to remind the players to stay focused. We need to be alert as nothing is won until the final whistle is blown.

Rahman hinted that all the players are there for options, including new foreign signing Jamie Phoenix.

“This time around, there is certainly no room for complacency among the players. Competition in the team will be very competitive. They have to fight for a place in the first 18 and then the first 11.”

Nevertheless, Rahman said he believes Drago has already identified the players to guide the Rhinos to a winning start.

For the opener, Drago has named an 18-member squad for the trip with Irwan Jamil certainly starting ahead of fellow goalkeeper Mohd Salawi Jasad, who made the first 18 after second choice custodian Harold John was down with fever.

Skipper Rosdin Wasli, Dragic Dalibor, Munir Imran, Wong Sai Kong, Zulamri Muhamad, Zuraindey Jumai, Chow Chee Wing, Nafuzi Zain, and Jamie are also likely to see first-team action, while either Zainizam Marjan or Bobby Gonzalez would fill the remaining one slot for the first team.

Salvester Sindeh, Eddie Gapil, Radzi Hussin, Azrul Ejati Damsah and Hardy Parsi also made the trip to the national capital.

For the new season, there will be 13 teams competing in the Premier League, including debutantes Proton FC, Felda United FC and the national Under-19 squad.

Melaka, who got demoted from the Super League are also in the fray, while the remaining teams are Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Johor, Kelantan, Selangor PKNS, Kuala Muda Naza of Kedah, Shahzan Muda of Pahang and KL Plus FC.

At the end of the season, the top two teams would gain automatic promotion to the Super League.

Elsewhere tonight, Kuala Muda Naza will take on KL Plus in Alor Star – Johor will take on new boys Felda United FC Johor Baru – Kuala Lumpur will be at home to Melaka in Cheras

The remaining match will see Proton FC take on Shahzan Muda in Petaling Jaya.

Another match, Kelantan versus Selangor PKNS, which was to take place in Kota Baru, has been postponed.

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PROMOTION IS TOP PRIORITY!

KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Lawrence Gimbang said gaining promotion to the Super League will be their TOP PRIORITY when Sabah make their appearance for the fourth consecutive season in the Premier League that kicks off next week.

The Sabah FA Deputy President insists they have had enough of Premier League action, and that it is time for the Rhinos to move on and play in the Super League.

“We don’t want to stay in the Premier League forever,” said Gimbang at the signing ceremony of contracts between the FA and the players held at the FA’s office in Likas on Wednesday night.

“For this reason, I really hope the players would do their level best to achieve our goal,” he added.

“I also hope they share our dreams and hopes. This time around I firmly believe that we can do it after three failed attempts.

“I can see that this time around we have a well-balanced squad. We have experienced and young blood in the team. At the same time we also have good foreign players as well as a head coach (Drago Mamic), who I believe has all the experience to guide the team to success,” said Gimbang.

“From the feedback that I received, the team have done solid preparations. With this I see no reason why we cannot do well in the competition.

“I would also like to remind the players that once they don Sabah colours, they must feel proud and must show great discipline on and off the pitch. All the people are depending on you all to do the State proud and you will not disappoint them, especially our die-hard fans,” Gimbang added.

He pointed out that in football there is no substitution to victory. “No matter what is going to happen in the new season, at the end of the season it is victory that we need.

“I believe if the players can show high fighting spirit and do it as a big team, I’m sure we will have something to cheer about at the end of the season.

Sabah will kick off their campaign by taking on Armed Forces in an away battle on December 17 before playing their first home match of the season against Premier League debutantes Proton FC on December 28 at the Tawau Sports Complex field.

Meanwhile, team manager Rahman Zakaria said that with the signing of contracts a done deal, now their focus will be on the first game against Armed Forces.

“Now, the only missing piece in the team is another foreign player. But we are in no rush as we firmly believe we are ready for the battle.”

For the new season, Sabah have unveiled eight new faces, including Englishman Jamie Anthony Lawrence Phoenix.

The rest are three local imports namely Nafuzi Zain, Wong Sai Kong and Hishamuddin Othman.

Eddie Gapil and Zuraindey, who once donned the State’s colours a few seasons back, have also been roped into the squad.

Young goalkeeper Mohd Salawi Mohd Jasad, 18, is the youngest in the squad. Mohd Farid is another young blood being roped into the team. The rest of the players are from last year’s squad.

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DRAGO TO ADDRESS INCONSISTENCY

KOTA KINABALU: Although it may have taken him quite a while, but Drago Mamic may have finally found or identified the root of the problem that has been haunting the Rhinos for the last few seasons – the lack of consistency.

This is not only happening on the part of the team as a whole, but also on the individual players (in the past).

The Rhinos’ head coach seems to have realised this before insisting that the players must have the desire of learning and improving all the time.

“In football, our job is never finished,” the Croatian insisted.

“As a professional or footballer, you will never be satisfied just after one or two games or after just one tournament. We must keep going.

“In this line, it is like a never ending story. We must try to improve all the time or at least maintain our level of play,” he added.

“For instance, during the recent tournament in Tawau, we have shown good performances, and now it is important for us to maintain this level and to try to improve our game.

“It is my job to make sure that the players will keep going and to try to improve their game. I will also try to instill the right kind of philosophy among the players in the team.

While happy with the team’s progress thus far, but Drago is fully aware that there are some players who think that they can take things easy.

“I know there are some players who think that it will be okay if they do not maintain the level we need of them for the team … they are completely wrong!

“What I want to see from the players is some kind of consistency … within the team as well as individual play … be it in training, friendly matches or competitive matches.

“There is no point of playing one good game when we cannot show any kind of consistency in our next several games.

“For the new season, I will be monitoring this aspect of the game (consistency). You see, there is no need for us to start thinking about our opponents because what is more important is for us to start thinking about our own performance and how we prepare ourselves for any game.

“I’m fortunate that we have so many quality players in the team, and to those who are not willing to fight it out or to try to improve themselves, I don’t think they deserve to stay in the team.”

Overall, Drago believes that the team can do well in the upcoming season.

However, he was quick to point out that they must put their feet on the ground at all times in order to achieve success.

He also said that the players must also be willing to fight it out until the end and not to be easily satisfied with what they have achieved or done, but to show consistency throughout!

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JAMIE SNUBS MAN UNITED

KOTA KINABALU: Jamie Phoenix could have been a Manchester United super star. The Rhinos’ new signing was twice offered a chance to sign up with the current English Premier League champions. However, he snubbed one of the greatest teams in the world on both occasions.

In an interview with the New Sabah Times Sport, Jamie revealed that he was first offered the chance to sign for Man United when he was 10 years old while the second came seven years later.

On both occasions, Jamie said he was playing for the Manchester City Youth team. “We used to beat them (Man United Youth) in the Youth League like 4-0, 5-0. And because all my friends are at Man City, I decided to stay with the team,” he recalled, while admitting that he kind of regrets his action (now).

Jamie, 23, also revealed that he could have also signed for Liverpool, but the deal did not materialise after the Reds were not willing to pay the 600,000 pounds price tag put up by his club.

For the record, Jamie is the product of the Man City academy and also had a stint with Premier League outfit Bolton Wanderers. However, according to him, he only played for the Reserve squad as well as in a friendly for Bolton before moving to several clubs around UK including FC Manchester.

He made his first overseas stint with Vietnam outfit Dong Tap. He played for the Vietnamese Premier League side for two months before going to Oman. While he was in Oman, he was offered contracts by three top sides, but none of the deals materialised after his former agent refused to agree to terms and conditions of the said deal.

It was after the three failed attempts that made Jamie dump his agent and become a freeman that eventually saw him coming to Sabah. On his first impression of Sabah, Jamie said: “Sabah is magnificent. The people, the City, the food and the surroundings are lovely. I want to live here forever.”

On the team, he believes that they have a good squad that can win honours. “I think we have a very good side and I believe we can win the League and the two Cups (Malaysia Cup and FA Cups) … I hope. “We have a good team management and the head coach is doing great with the team. Overall, I’m really pleased to be with the team. To a question, Jamie said that he does not see much difference between football here and in the UK.

He said: “I think in the UK, the work rate is greater where all matches are very competitive. Over there, there is a lot of tackling and running, where here I think it is more relaxed. But I find that there are a lot of skillful players here that could play in UK.”

Jamie also said that he likes to run for the ball while playing, hinting that he is also good at certain things on the field. “I do have a certain specialty, but I’m not going to show it off unless we already winning by a big margin. I don’t want the team to suffer because of my fancy skills.”

Overall, Jamie will certainly be the man to watch for the new season at least as far as Sabah is concerned.

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Room for improvement

KOTA KINABALU: Second-half substitute Azrul Ejati Damsah levelled the score for the Rhinos to salvage a 1-1 draw against DPMM of Brunei in the Sabah FA’s Triangular Football Tournament that ended at the Tawau Sports Complex field on Tuesday.

With this result both teams were declared joint champions as they were on level terms with four points each.

In the opener, Sabah blanked Persiba of Balik Papan 2-0, while DPMM scored a 3-1 victory over the Kalimantan outfit.

However, the match (DPMM-Persiba) was only played for the first 45 minutes due to a thunderstorm.

“It was a good two matches for the team,” said Rahman Zakaria.

“Overall, we are happy with the way they approached these matches. But there is certainly room for improvement,” the Rhinos team manager added.

“We have got about three weeks left to prepare, and I believe we will be prepared and ready to face Armed Forces in the opener of the Premier League on December 17 in an away battle.

“Now our only task left is to find that final jigsaw, which is to look for a foreign striker,” said Rahman.

Currently, they are two Nigerians on trial with the team, but Rahman said they still need to have a good look at them before a decision is made.

At the same time, he added that they are also expecting a few more foreign strikers for trials. A top Croatian striker was supposed to have agreed to come and sign for Sabah without attending trials. But his current club refused that.

Assistant Minister of Rural Development Datuk Taufiq Abu Bakar Titingan and Sabah FA Deputy President Datuk Lawrence Gimbang were there to present the prizes to the winners.

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JAMIE DELIVERS FOR RHINOS

KOTA KINABALU: Englishman Jamie Anthony Lawrence Phoenix guided the Rhinos to a 2-0 victory over Persiba in the opener of the Sabah FA Triangular Tournament at the Tawau Sports Complex on Sunday.

The former England Under-17 player scored a brace, netting one goal in each half before being replaced late in the game to receive five stitches on his ear after a clash with a Persiba player.

Jamie drew first blood with his 41st minute strike before adding his second in the 65th minute.

Rahman Zakaria said that it was quite a convincing show from the Rhinos throughout the match.

“I’m happy with the way we approached the game,” the Rhinos’ team manager commented.

“The team seemed to be getting better. Our momentum was also there and the same for the combination among the players.

“Nevertheless, overall, we still need to improve on certain aspects of the game.

“I’m delighted to see that we managed to create a lot of chances. Although we only managed to put two behind the net, but this is an encouraging development from the team,” he added.

Sabah started the game with three foreign players with Bosnia-Herzegovina Dragic Dalibor marshalling the Rhinos’ backline alongside skipper Rosdin Wasli, Wong Sai Kong on the right and Munir Amran on the left.

Nafuzi Zain orchestrated the midfield together with Jamie, Zulamri Amri Muhammad and Eddie Gapil, while Nigerian striker, Andrew Amakuro, currently on trials with the team started in attack alongside Zainizam Marjan.

According to Rahman, Chow Chee Wing, Azrul Ejati Damsah, Hardy Charles Parsi and another Nigerian striker Gabriel also featured in the game as second-half substitutes.

“Overall, it was quite a competitive game because we played a side that paraded five foreign players,” Rahman said of Persiba, who interestingly is coached by former Sabah coach Peter Butler.

Persiba also paraded ex-Rhino striker Julio Cesar Rodrigues. However, another ex-Rhino Robbie Gaspar did not feature for the team, as he is seeking treatment back in his homeland Australia.

Tonight, Sabah will take on DPMM of Brunei to conclude the tournament.

Rahman said the head coach Drago Mamic is likely to make a minor reshuffle with Jamie likely to sit out the match due to his injury.

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SHOW MUST GO ON

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah FA’s planned Quadrangular Football Tournament is now a Triangular affair.

Its Executive Secretary Harry Baking said that the championship will be a three-team affair with a team each from Brunei, Indonesia as well as Sabah. DPMM of Brunei and Persiba of Balik Papan will be the two visiting teams after Persibom from the Sulawasi opted out due to time constraint.

Harry also confirmed that the tournament will be held from November 25 to 27 at the Tawau Sports Complex. “Actually it would be great if it is a four-team tournament, but time is limited especially for the teams from Indonesia. “For instance, Persiba will be heading home on Nov 27 as they have a game on Dec 1 back home.

“Nevertheless, we firmly believe that this will still be positive warm-up matches for the Rhinos ahead of the Premier League kick-off on Dec 17. “We are thankful to the two teams for coming and hopefully this will be a good trip for them too.

Sabah will take on Persiba in the opening match on Nov 25 with the kick off set at 7.30pm. The second match will see Persiba taking on DPMM (Nov 26) before Sabah and DPMM conclude the tournament on Nov 27. Tickets are priced at RM10 and RM5 for all these matches.

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QUADRANGULAR TOURNAMENT ON

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah FA is going ahead with its plan to organise the Quadrangular Tournament.

Its Executive Secretary Harry Baking said that so far three teams have confirmed their participation, including the Rhinos.

The other two teams are Super League outfit DPMM of Brunei and Persiba from Balik Papan.

“We are now waiting for confirmation from another club from Indonesia,” said Harry, referring to Persibom – a Sulawasi North outfit.

Harry said that he is expecting to get confirmation by next week.

He then pointed out that the tentative date for the tournament is from Nov 25 to Nov 30 at the Tawau Sports Complex.

On the format of the competition, Harry said that it will be discussed during the managers’ meeting.

Harry said this tournament is part of the Rhinos’ preparations ahead of the new season that kicks off next month.

The Rhinos will kick start their Premier League challenge by playing away to Armed Forces on Dec 17.

On another development, Harry revealed that they are expecting the Croatian striker to arrive next week.

“We are expecting him to be here on Wednesday,” said Harry.

With the arrival of the Croatian, Sabah’s search for foreign players would be over.

They already have the services of Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Dragic Dalibor.

Besides the Croatian, they are also set to sign an Englishman – Jamie Phoenix – a striker, who can also play as an attacking midfielder.

Harry said that Jamie had verbally agreed to terms and conditions of the contract that has been offered to him.

However, Harry said that Jamie is back in England to attend to a personal matter before returning to Sabah on Nov 21, which will be on time for the Quadrangular Tournament.

Interestingly, the Quadrangular Tournament will see Sabah parade its full squad with the arrival of the Croatian and the Englishman.

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THRASHING OUT A DEAL

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah FA is close to getting the signature of an ex England Under-17 player.

They are currently in talks with the said player and at press time nothing has been finalised as both parties are still in the midst of negotiating a deal.

Jamie Phoenix, 23, arrived in the State for trials about 10 days ago and had played in three friendly matches with the Rhinos. And during these trials, Jamie, who also had a stint with Bolton Wanderers in the English Premiership, impressed the FA Selectors including its head coach Drago Mamic.

The FA Executive Secretary Harry Baking confirmed to the New Sabah Times Sports yesterday that negotiations are still ongoing with Jamie. But it is going to take sometime before everything is finalised as Jamie has told the FA that he needs to go back home to England as he has personal matters to attend to. He is expected to leave today with the FA providing the air tickets.

If the deal is through, then the Rhinos can finally end their search for a foreign player as they have already hired a Bosnian-Herzegovina defender, Dragic Dalibor. Another is expected, a Croatian striker, whose identity is still being withheld until his imminent arrival, which is expected to be at the end of this month.

Jamie meanwhile, can play as a striker or an attacking midfielder. He joined the Manchester City Youth team from 1994-1998 before signing for Bolton Wanderers in 1998-2000. He played for a few lower division clubs in England, among them Nantwitch Town, Altricham and Stafford Rangers, FC United being the last before venturing into ‘greener’ pastures like playing for Dong Tap in the Vietnam Premier League before coming to Sabah.

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PREPARATIONS ON SCHEDULE

KOTA KINABALU: Drago Mamic is satisfied with the team’s progress in their preparations ahead of the new season that kicks off next month.

The Rhinos’ head coach has no complaints whatsoever in their build up to the new season, pointing out that their preparations have been going on smoothly.

And what delights him most is that he has been getting undivided support from all parties, right from the top level officials to the players.

And this has made the Croatian optimistic about the team’s chances in the new season.

“This year, I have been getting very good support right from the team management to the players. Every one has been helping and showing their support towards our preparations … the President, the managers – Firdaus (Anifah Datuk Aman), Rahman (Zakaria) – my assistant coaches Khairul (Azman Mohd), Bob (Burhan Ajui) and Paing (Henry Soimpon). They have been giving me a big helping hand.

“The players have also shown a positive attitude and have been working really hard. I must thank all of them for the trust and support they have given me.

“In fact all this has prompted me to be very optimistic and have confidence in the team. With this kind of support, I firmly believe we can achieve something if we work together as a big family, like what is happening now.

“I can feel that we are breathing the same air and working towards realising the same dreams. I’m very satisfied with what has been happening, surrounding the team because once this is happening to the team it will only help us to become a better squad,” Drago said.

He then insisted that they have a better chance (compared to last season) of gaining promotion into the Super League.

“We have a better chance to get promoted this time around. But having said so, I cannot guarantee that we will surely gain promotion because we don’t know how the other teams have progressed. We don’t know their strength because in the new season, it will be different.

“But as long as we can show progress, I firmly believe that we have a squad that is good enough for the challenge.

“With no disrespect to the players … last season I can say that I had a squad of 12 players, but this time I have about 17-18 players who are ready for the job and I’m very happy with what I have now.

“I could say that we have a very interesting team here, but we must pay attention not to make silly mistakes as it could cost us our game.

With the league going to be less hectic compared to last year after the FA of Malaysia decided to play the Malaysia Cup after the completion of League matches and the FA Cup, Drago has quietly set his sights on helping the Rhinos end their title drought.

For the record, it has been more than a decade since the Rhinos last won any major honour in the M-League. The last time was in 1996 when they emerged the Premier I champions, now known as the Super League.

Commenting on the Rhinos’ recent friendly against Tawau Selection, Drago said: “It was a good trip for the team.

“It was a good game. We were playing under good conditions, on a good pitch and overall I’m happy with the trip.

“We played really well and although our opponents were not very strong, still it was a good show from the players.

“They played at the highest level and managed 20 passes at one time and I can see that the team is getting better and better.

“Nevertheless, we still need to improve in training, especially in possession of the ball because this will be a dangerous weapon.

“Once we can take possession in a game, it would be easy for us to dominate any game. It would also brighten our chances of winning the game.

“Overall, I’m happy with the way we play, but I must remind the players that they have to keep on improving as by doing this it will help the team progress.

Drago also said that at the moment they are 95 per cent ready for the new season.

“I have to slow down a little because the League only kicks off next month. We need to peak at the right time,” said Drago, before declaring that they will be in top gear when they kick start their season up against Armed Forces in an away battle on December 17.

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Croatian striker set to join Rhinos

KOTA KINABALU: A Croatian striker is almost certain to don the Rhinos colours for the new season.

He is likely to be the second foreign player to sign for the team after Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Dragic Dalibor.

The striker in question is personally recommended by his countryman, Drago Mamic who is the Rhinos’ head coach.

The New Sabah Times Sport was told that Drago has been given the green light to bring the player.

But due to the unavailability of flights from his home country, his arrival in the State has been delayed.

He is now on the waiting list and would make his journey to Sabah upon the availability of a flight with November 16 probably his departure date from Zagreb.

When contacted yesterday, Drago confirmed that the player in question will be his second signing.

He pointed out that he is expecting the said player, who has been plying his trade in the Croatian First Division League, to arrive in Sabah at the latest end of this month.

Drago is still unwilling to reveal the identity of the said player until everything has been finalised.

“It is still not the right moment,” he said.

“Once he signs for us, then the team management will make an appropriate announcement.

However he insisted that the said player is one of the top strikers in the Croatian First Division League.

“I know him personally and I have watched him play. And I firmly believe that his presence will give the team a big plus.

And if the deal is concluded (with the Croatian striker), the Rhinos will be looking for one more import player to fill in the last quota.

Drago hinted that he is keeping a close eye on an Englishman – Jamie Phoenix – who is currently undergoing trials with the team.

“He has showed us something. He showed us he has something special and quality. But we still need to have a good look at him before offering him a contract.

“For now, what I can say is he is close to landing a deal with the club. We need a good professional not only on the battlefield but also off the field because we have so many youngsters in the team,” said Drago.

Tonight, the Rhinos will be playing against USM in a friendly at the UMS Mini Stadium at 7pm.

And Drago will have another chance to have a good look at Jamie, who is a former Bolton Wanderers player.

He also played for the England Under-17 squad while doing the apprenticeship with Manchester City, who currently occupy the third spot in the English Premiership.

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STRONG BATTLE FOR FIRST-TEAM ACTION

KOTA KINABALU: The Rhinos take on Tawau Selection in a friendly to be played at the Tawau Sports Complex field tonight. And this will be another opportunity for the players to prove their worth to earn a place in the first team when the Premier League kicks off next month. The Rhinos will kick start their campaign playing away to Armed Forces on Dec 17 before playing their first home game against debutantes Proton FC at the Tawau Sports Complex on Dec 28.

Rahman Zakaria sees that competition for first team action for the new season will be tough. “I’m happy to note that a majority of our players are almost of the same quality. In order to be in the top 11, 16 or 18, they must keep the momentum going. They also have to show it in training as well as in friendly games.

“With the Premier League only kicking off next month, I think there is ample time for them to prove their worth to the head coach (Drago Mamic), and tomorrow’s friendly will be no exception as we will be looking at their performances,” the Rhinos’ team manager said. Commenting on the match, he said: “We are not really looking at the result, but what we want to see is the players showing what they are capable of. We want them to adapt well to the system we play.”

“This friendly will also be an opportunity for the head coach to know the players more and to see what needs to be rectified ahead of the big kick off,” said Rahman.

Rahman also said that they would also be trying out the import players in the match. At the moment, he pointed out that there are currently five foreign players undergoing trials with the team including two Senegalese strikers – Leum Abboul Karim and Sylla Pape Birane, who arrived yesterday morning.

The other three are strikers in Nigerian Obasi Churchill, Brazilian Oliveira and Englishman Jamie Phoenix. “This will be an opportunity for these (foreign) players to prove their worth as well,” said Rahman. “With the delay in the kick off (Premier League), it gives us more time to pick the best players we can get. We will not rush into signing any foreign player because we want to make sure he fits well into the team,” Rahman added. At the moment, Bosnian defender Dragic Dalibor is certain to don the Rhinos colours, and the Rhinos are looking for two more foreign players to fill in the three foreign import quotas for each team.

On the local players, Rahman said that it is a done deal, pointing out that upon signing the two foreign players, it would complete their jigsaw puzzle for the new season.

All the local players with the exception of Mohd Radzi Hussin, Ahmad Tharmini Saiban, David Johnny, Ebby Roy, Bobby Gonzalez and Rezuan Radzy Muhammad will make the trip to Tawau.

Radzi is sick while Tharmini is out injured. As for Bobby, he is currently with the national under-23 team while Ebby, David and Rezuan would have to work extra hard in fighting for a place in at least the top 18.

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HECTIC SCHEDULE

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah will be playing the first round of their Premier League 2007/08 campaign at the Tawau Sports Complex field.

The second round matches could also be played in Tawau unless the faulty Likas Stadium will be ready to host night matches.

However, Likas Stadium will be the venue for the second round.

“We have received a letter from the Sabah Sports Board stating that the Likas Stadium will be ready in February,” said the Sabah FA Executive Secretary Harry Baking.

“However, we have no idea on the exact date so we will be playing our first round matches all in Tawau,” he added.

For the new season, Sabah will kick-start their season against Armed Forces in an away battle at the Selayang Stadium on December 17.

They will play their first home match of the season on December 28 against Premier League debutants Proton FC.

The first round ends on February 22. The second round tie will be played three days later (Feb 25) which is likely to be held at the Likas Stadium.

Sabah will be playing six home matches in the first round and may play the first round of the FA Cup in Tawau when the competition starts in February.

A look at the fixtures, released by the Sabah FA office yesterday, one can see January as a hectic month for the Rhinos. They will be playing a total of six matches; three away and three at home.

There will be three matches in December, four in February and five matches each in March and April and one in May, which will be the final League game.

For the new season, a total of 13 teams will slog it out for the crown as well as the two promotional slots to the Super League. This includes two debutants, Proton FC who are the FAM Cup 2007 champions and Felda United.

The rest are Kuala Lumpur, Johor, ATM, Kelantan, Kuala Muda Naza, KL Plus, Selangor PKNS, Melaka, Shahzan Muda and National Under-19.

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Better to lose now than in the season

KOTA KINABALU: The Rhinos lost 1-3 to Brunei’s DPMM in a friendly match played in Labuan on Sunday, but the Rhinos’ head coach Drago Mamic is not too concerned about the outcome of the game.

The Croatian pointed out that the result is not important at this moment of time, as what matters most is their preparations ahead of the new season that kicks off on December 17.

He said it is better for the team to make mistakes now as they would have time to rectify it rather than during the season.

“I cannot be more satisfied than this,” he said, when commenting on the Rhinos’ friendly against the Super League outfit.

“We showed quality, especially in the second half and I thought we dominated about 75 per cent of the game.

“It is better to lose the game now so that we can work on our weaknesses. They (DPMM) are a good team, but we showed more quality,” Drago said.

“This game is only part of our preparations.

“We have quality and have a team who are playing football, but we must pay attention to individuals making mistakes which could cost the team valuable points,” he added.

The only disappointment of the game said Drago is the way the team conceded two early goals.

While not wanting to blame or point figures at anyone, Drago said that they just could not make such mistakes that resulted in their opponents scoring two easy goals.

On Sabah’s No 1 custodian, he said: “He is still very young, and I don’t want to blame him for the two goals, but he could have done better.”

“Nevertheless, it is good this is happening now so we have time to teach him.

“We need him because we have no other options. First he is still Under-21 and secondly he is the best that we have got.

“But we certainly need to work something in improving him and we have ways to improve him.

“He needs to grow as a player and needs to work hard because we have no time to tolerate a player committing the same mistake. “But I’m convinced he will be ready for action.

On the three strikers – a Brazilian, an Englishman and a Nigerian – Drago sees there is still a need to bring more strikers for trials.

While the Englishman – Jamie Phoenix a former Bolton Wanderers and England Under-17 player has caught his eyes, Drago insisted that the team need a more deadly man up front.

“The Englishman is showing something, but then again, a good player only needs one match to show his quality.

But nevertheless, Drago said he will have a good look at the trio in the next one or two weeks before making a recommendation to the team management.

On the Croatian striker he is recommending to the FA, Drago said that the ball is now in the team management’s court before the player in question would come to Sabah.

“Once I get the green light from the team management, then he (the Croatian striker) will come,” added Drago.

Sabah’s next friendly is up against an Indonesian side which will be played in Tawau on November 10.

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Sumardi turns back on Rhinos

KOTA KINABALU: Sumardi Hajalan has turned his back on his State team Sabah for the new season.

Instead the Tawau lad has decided to extend his contract with his current team Johor FC, who will be playing in the Super League.

The national left-back, who initially had expressed his desire to make a return to the State team, quietly signed for Johor FC, behind the back of the Sabah FA, who was willing to listen to his demands.

The Rhinos’ team manager Rahman Zakaria told the New Sabah Times Sport yesterday that Sumardi is “history” as far as they are concerned.

“He was the one who contacted us expressing his desire to play for the Sabah team for the new season.

“We told him he was more than welcome to join the team. After the national team played their World Cup qualifying round late last month, he contacted us again that he wanted to play for Sabah.

“And we were willing to listen to his demands. However, when we tried to contact him (last week) we could not get in touch with him. We tried several times, but to no avail.

“A reliable source told us that he had signed for Johor FC.

“We will not stop him from playing for other teams, but the way he treated us was just unacceptable. I think, as a player, he needs to be more professional.

“If he received a better offer elsewhere, we would be more than willing to listen to him. We will not stop him from deserting the team because we know this is his rice bowl.

“But what irked us is the way he tried to hide from us because in the first place it was him who contacted us – wanting to play for the State team,” said Rahman.

Sumardi is the second ex-Rhino to have turned his back on the State team. The other one was Madzalan Emoi who ironically also signed for Johor FC.

Meanwhile, Rahman revealed that the Rhinos would start their season on December 17.

He said that the Premier League would only kick off after the Sea Games in Korat.

Rahman said they were informed about the postponement to the start of the new season during the team managers’ meeting held at the national capital on Saturday.

However, Rahman said that the Super League would kick off in November where two matches will be played during this month before taking a break during the Sea Games.

In another development, Rahman pointed out that for the new season, it is compulsory for all teams to play one Under-21 player for the entire match.

“The player (Under-21) must play for the whole 90 minutes. If we want to substitute him, we must substitute him with another Under-21 player. In case there is no under-21 player on the bench, then the team will have to play with 10 men,” said Rahman.

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Duo on trials with Rhinos

KOTA KINABALU: Two strikers – an Englishman and a Brazilian hitman are the latest foreign hopefuls to attend trials with the Rhinos.

The duo arrived in the State Capital yesterday and will be put to test when the Rhinos take on Super League outfit DPMM of Brunei in a friendly match at the Labuan Sports Complex field tonight.

The 23-year-old Jamie Phoenix is a former England Under-17 player. He was with the Manchester City Youth team from 1994 to 1998 before signing for Bolton Wanderers (1998-2000).

After the Bolton Wanderers stint, he signed for Stafford Rangers before joining FC United of Manchester last year. He left United of Manchester early this year and signed for Dong Tap FC of the Vietnam Premier League before coming to Sabah.

The little known Brazilian – Paolo Di Oliveira – had played for a few top sides in the Brazilian League. He also has had stints with several clubs in Guatemala and El Salvador.

Assistant team manager Firdaus Datuk Anifah Aman said that they will have a close look at them before making any decision.

“We’ll give them enough time to prove their worth. Besides the Labuan trip, we will also be playing against an Indonesian club on November 10. We will also be using the match to try out the foreign imports,” Firdaus said.

Firdaus said they have named a 21-member squad for the Labuan trip including Jamie and Paolo.

The other foreign players in the team are Bosnian defender Dragic Dalibor and Nigerian striker Obasi Churchill Emmanuel.

While Dragic is almost certain to don the Rhinos colours, this trip could be the final place for Obasi to impress the FA selection panels.

The rest of the players making the trip are Irwan Jamil, Azrul Ejati Damsah, Harold John, Hisamuddin Othman, Mohd Munir Amran, Mohd Nafuzi Mohammad Zain, Wong Sai Kong, Chow Chee Wing, Radzi Mohd Hussin, Julamri Muhammad, Rosdin Wasli, Hardy Charles Parsi, Zainizam Marjan, Henry Parsi, Eddy Gapil, Salvester Sindeh and Zuraindey Jumai.

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