Interview: Peter Butler - From West Ham To South East Asia

Ex-West Ham and West Brom player Peter Butler is still only 41 years old but he has already coached in five different countries.

After leaving his post as reserve coach of Halifax in 2001, Butler moved to Australia where he worked with Sorrento Soccer Club in Perth. In 2003, the former tough-tackling midfielder took over Malaysian club Sabah before heading to Singapore and eight months as head coach of Singapore Armed Forces. He is now in charge of Indonesian outfit Persiba Balikpapan and he found time to talk to Goal.com Asia.

Your first coaching job was at Halifax?

Yes, I started there. I was at West Brom and wanted to leave and start coaching. It was an opportunity for me to get all my licenses. I enjoyed it. I am from Halifax and I wanted to end my career there. I went there as coach but I ended up playing about 70 games. It was a great experience.

When the manager there was sacked, Paul Bracewell came in and wanted to bring in his own people. That was fair enough. So I thought ‘what do I do now?’ I could have sat on my backside and wait for a nother job –there were offers to stay in England – but then the position in Australia came up.

What was the Australian job?

I was director of an academy at a state league side in Perth. I set up programs there for 11-18 year-olds and it was a great experience. There were some good young kids in the system there. The problem is that at 14-15, they fall out of the system, maybe go on to Aussie Rules Football or something completely different and they are then lost to the game.

Can Australia become a major football power?

I feel that Australia could become a real power in Asia without a doubt. They have the new league set up and they have to give it 5-10 years. Then they can look at leagues like Japan and Korea as models. They have to be patient. A lot of planning and thought has gone into it.

There are some very good players and athletes in Australia but they are always competing against Aussie Rules, Rugby, cricket etc. There is some good stuff going on there at youth level and I have no doubt in the future that they will be a powerhouse.

How was the standard in Australia compared to England’s lower leagues?

It is a difficult question and not really fair to compare. The English lower leagues are very tough. It is all hustle-and-bustle, cut-and-thrust, they are unique in the world of football. Australia was a lot slower but different. The A-League is new but it has potential to be very big.

Moving from England to Australia is perhaps not such a big move culturally but then going from Australia to South-east Asia must have been very different.

It was a big culture shock but i was surprised at how easily I settled and got into it. It was a wonderful learning curve. If you want to test yourself then Asia is a great place to work. I went to East Malaysia and they are great people. They love football.

It seems these days that Malaysian fans love English football and are less interested in their domestic game. Is that correct?

When I was there they were developing the Super League and I took Sabah to the Super League. When I joined Sabah they used to get crowds of 2,000. From the day I went there, we got a lot of success and we got to the cup final and played in front of 80,000.

It was my first season, took them to the Super League and the final and I did it with a team of kids. We went from having crowds of 2,000 to having crowds of 30,000.

Since then, in the past two or three years, I can’t believe how much it has gone downhill. Sponsors have pulled out, there has been a lot of mismanagement, a lot of politicking, politicicians getting involved for their own reasons. Malaysians love football and their domestic football but in the last two or three years, a lot of people have become disillusioned with it.

The Asian Cup was a disaster from a Malaysian point of view…

I took my kids to a game during the Asian Cup but there was nobody there –it was so sad. They have wonderful stadiums, some great people doing some good work there. They need to develop the system slowly and be patient. The big issue in Asia is all about winning a trophy – it’s all win, win, win. They have to lose that mentality and start thinking about development, getting a coach education system in place.

I can actually see Malaysian football coming back domestically in the future irrespective of the failures of the national team at respective international competitions recently in south east asia, but it will take a long time and a lot of hard work from top to bottom. I believe it is good that the government has decided to start taking a closer look at the state of Malaysian football and people should be made accountable for the failures at development level and national level. They need to place people in positions of responsibility with overseas experience who can help the local coaches and educate them with what is going on in the global game.

Then you went to Singapore – a smaller country but with much more success in football.

When I first went there, there were about 1,000 in the stadium again. They love English football in Singapore but they don’t watch their local football. I would say the majority of Chinese/ Singaporeans only go to the stadium not because they are interested in the quality of the football only because they have money on the game.

The Singapore national team coach (Raddy Avramovic) has done a good job. A lot of people are critical that he has allowed four or five overseas players to naturalise and get citizenship. I have seen what the Singapore FA are doing and they are trying.

There is some good stuff going on in Singapore but it is a non-competitive league. Three teams –Home United, Tampines and Singapore Armed Forces – who I was coach of- are in it. Apart from those three, it is by far the weakest league in south-east Asia.

You are only 41 yet have coached in five countries. What kind of coach are you and how have you grown from your experience?

When I started, I wanted to coach in as many countries as I could in order to get experience. From a cultural point of view, you have to embrace their culture and throw yourself into it. I think I am far from a typical English coach. I have a very open mind. You have to learn how to deal with difficult people and you must improvise. Improvisation is the key to working in this part of the world. You have to be flexible – if you are stubborn, you have no chance of success. I learned that the hard way and it has not only made me a better coach but it has also made me a better person.

Can you give an example of a football cultural difference?

Well, there are presidents calling you on the bench telling you to change the team (laughs). It is knowing how far you can push the players. Getting Malayisans in in the morning for strength and conditioning work and then getting them in the afternoon and doing ball work in the afternoon. You have to gain their trust and show them the reason why they are doing it.

If you do that in Australia or England then it is no problem, they’ll do it, they want to get stronger and fitter. In Malaysia you have to cajole them and show they why they should do it. Indonesians are a little different, they want to work. If you get them up at seven in the morning and get they in the gym, they’ll be there.

I have taken a lot of things from Indonesia and Malaysia and have adopted them into my personality. I learn things from then. You can’t rant and rave at the players. You lose a lot of face by shouting. I don’t, I talk to them and get them believing in what we are doing and trusting me. I am like a father figure to them.

If you were to coach in England again, what kind of things would you take from Asia as a coach?

I would take a great deal. Things such as being patient, putting things in place and developing slowly.

Now you are in Indonesia. Some say that potentially, Indonesia is the strongest SE Asian nation. Would you agree with that?

Without a doubt. Some of the players I work with are very talented and could move on to play in different leagues. I am not saying that they are ready for Europe as I don’t think they are. They have to become stronger mentally. People talk about their physique but I don’t think that is such a big handicap. There are some strong Indonesian boys. I think you can overcome that. They have a willingness to work and potentially I can see the potential in Indonesia is massive.

Last week, we lost a league game in front of 45,000 people. I said to my assistant that ‘this is just like England.’ Indonesians are always singing, they never stop. That club is a big one, while mine is small but I thought they if you could bottle this atmosphere and take it back to the UK well…

I got a taste of that during the Asian Cup in Jakarta. The atmosphere was fantastic.

The clubs are like that too.

So then why isn’t Indonesia better? What’s the problem?

First, they have to get a coach education program. The Vision Asia project is a great idea through the AFC. They have to be willing to change and not be afraid of change. They have to be willing for some people to step aside to let things move forward. There are no real development programs. Most of these kids haven’t been coached. Indonesian coaches don’t really coach the youngsters, they just let them play. Sometimes that is great and kids can express themselves.

In the UK, we got to a stage where kids are being overcoached. There are more programs than ever in the British system but we don’t produce any better players than we did 15 or 20 years ago with the old apprentice scheme.

When Howard Wilkinson introduced the Charter for Quality, I could see there were going to be problems. We have created a monster. Kids now at 16,17 etc are earning 10,000 pounds a week. They are spoiled. We produce kids now without that hunger and passion. This charter for quality means that kids no longer do the menial jobs like cleaning the dressing room etc. Kids in the UK don’t appreciate what they have – fantastic training grounds, food etc

What is your proudest achievement as a coach?

If you’re talking about winning silverware then I haven’t really won any. I have always joined clubs who wanted to construct a new team. I have never joined a team with stars, they have always been mid-table or at the bottom and I have taken them up.

At every club, I have always brought in young players. At Sabah, I brought in six young lads. I am a big believer in giving youth a chance. Taking Sabah into the Super League and the Malaysian Cup final was a big achievement as we were punching above our weight. We had no stars. At Singapore, I was there for eight months and we were top of the league. I resigned because of interference from the general manager there.

Here, I have brought in a lot of young lads. You don’t always measure success by wining trophies but by building a team for the future.

What are your future plans?

I want to stay in Asia or go to the Middle-East. I like working in this region. I am ambitious and I would like to take on a new challenge – perhaps West Asia or Japan, Korea and China.

John Duerden

Asia Editor

johnduerden@hotmail.com

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RAHMAN: MAINTAIN FIGHTING SPIRIT

KOTA KINABALU: The Rhinos have been urged to keep up the fighting spirit they showed in the 2-1 victory over Felda United FC in a Premier League match on Monday.

They have also been reminded to be united in reviving their fortunes for the better in the competition.

Rahman Zakaria also said that it is time for the Rhinos to show some kind of consistency in order to maintain the pace with the top teams.

“I want to look forward and focus on our remaining games. I firmly believe we have a good set of players in the team … be it local or foreign players. And if we can focus and start to show some consistency, I’m convinced we will be there challenging for the top spots in the competition at the end of the day,” said Rahman.

While delighted with the victory, Rahman was quick to remind the players not to be too satisfied with the win.

“There is no reason for them to celebrate because this is just one game. There are so many games ahead of us, and they must show us that they are capable of winning more games.

“They have to have the right attitude and to play their hearts out in every game. At this stage of the competition and the predicament we are in, there is no place for them to take teams lightly.

“From now on, I want the players to treat all games the same and give 110 per cent.

“We have had enough of the yo-yo syndrome … winning this game and losing the next one. We have to be consistent and be able to win matches week in and week out,” said Rahman.

Commenting on the game, Rahman said it was a well-deserved victory for the team.

“It was a hard fought victory considering that we had to make a comeback after trailing 1-0 after just 22 minutes.

“But the players never showed any signs of giving up and this is the kind of attitude we want from them,” he added.

Khairul Izuan Khalid nodded home the opener for Felda United in the 22nd minute.

Despite creating more than half a dozen chances, Sabah ended the first half trailing 1-0.

“We had three genuine penalty claims in the first half. The first one was when Rosdin Wasli was pushed. He fell awkwardly and injured his legs. We had no choice but to replace him as early as the eighth minute,” said Rahman.

However, the incident was some kind of a blessing in disguise for the Rhinos as it was new signing Andre Scotti Ossemer, who came in for the injured Rosdin, who saved the night for the Rhinos with his heroic two-goal effort.

The second and third incidents saw Jamie Phoenix pulled down inside the box, but on both occasions, the referee refused to bother much about the Rhinos’ claims.

However, Sabah were presented with a chance to score the equaliser when they were awarded a penalty kick after Jamie was fouled inside the box. But unfortunately, Jamie missed the spot kick.

However, in the 70th minute, Sabah were presented with the second spot kick of the night, but this time it was Andre who was brought down inside the penalty box.

He (Andre) stepped up to take the spot kick which he converted with ease.

And as the match headed for a one-all draw, Andre made his debut a memorable one as he slotted home the winner during a goalmouth melee in injury time.

Sabah’s next game is at home to Melaka on Feb 1.

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Andre nets debut goal in Rhinos win!

Premier League matches, 28 JAN 2008
*(-) position before matches

Home	Score	Away	Venue
Sabah (5)	2 - 1	Felda United (7)	Kompleks Sukan Tawau
PKNS (9)	2 - 2	Harimau Muda (10)	Stadium Majlis Bandaraya,PJ
Melaka (11)	1 - 2	Shahzan Muda (12)	Stadium Hang Tuah
Kelantan (4)	4 - 1	Kuala Lumpur (8)	Stadium Sultan Mohd Ke-IV
KL Plus (3)	6 - 0	ATM (13)	Stadium MP, Selayang
Kuala Muda Naza (2)	4 - 1	Proton FC (6)	Stadium Darul Aman
No Match	-	Johor (1)

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DRAGO: NO CRISIS!

KOTA KINABALU: Drago Mamic declares there is no crisis in the team, but admitted that the road to promotion now looks “rocky and bumpy” following the Rhinos’ yo-yo performances after eight matches into the season.

However, the Croatian said their challenge is far from over insisting that he has a squad that will fight all the way to the end.

He then stressed it is (now) important for them to win the remaining four matches in the first round in order to keep their fading hopes alive.

“We must win our four remaining matches and we will see it from there. Frankly there is no room for more slip-ups,” admitted the Rhinos’ head coach.

But he said collecting the maximum 12 points in their next four games would provide them the foundation to stage a strong fight-back in their bid to gain promotion when the second round battles resume.

The Rhinos begin their must-win mission tonight against club side Felda United FC at the Tawau Sports Complex.

The match was initially scheduled to take place at the KLFA Stadium in Cheras, but was switched to Tawau as the KLFA Stadium has been booked for another function.

“Consistency is the key to the team’s hopes. To become champions we must be able to win five consecutive matches. I believe the players can do it, but I don’t know when it is going to happen,” he added.

Sabah have yet to show any kind of consistency after completing eight games where they won only three times, drew twice and lost thrice.

But despite the unconvincing record, Drago said that there is nothing wrong with the team nor is there any crisis in the team … among the players or the management.

“I have no problem with the players and I don’t think there is any problem between the players and the team management.

“I cannot ask for more from the players because they have done more than what I have expected. I’m pleased with what they have given towards the team and they have been working really hard,” said Drago.

While not wanting to blame lady luck for their inconsistent showing, Drago admitted that sometimes they were just unlucky not to walk home with a victory, taking the Rhinos’ 1-0 defeat to Selangor PKNS as an example.

“It was a shocking defeat and a very unfortunate one.

“They had only one chance and scored. When you look at the game, people who watched the game know we could have won by five goals.

“For instance in the last 15 minutes, we created many chances but the ball just did not go in.

“We created chances and our problem was not being able to put the ball into the net.

“I’m not blaming anyone, but I guess, we need that little injection into the team,” said Drago as he hinted that they now desperately need a prolific goal-scorer to solve their problem.

“We just cannot blame our luck. Sometimes we need to a little injection into the team, and in our case we now need a good foreign striker to help us end our jinx.

At the same time, Drago also feels that playing their home games in Tawau could be one of the factors why the team failed to produce consistency.

“It is just my personal feeling. But it is a fact that we must admit. With due respect to the fans in Tawau, they have been great in supporting us even when things did not go our way. But, with all the traveling and staying in hotels even when we are playing host is no different to playing in away matches,” he said.

The Tawau Sports Complex Stadium has been the home venue for Sabah from towards the end of last season after the floodlights’ failure at the Likas Stadium.

The Rhinos are only expected to return to the Likas Stadium in the second round of the league.

Another factor that contributed to the team’s dismal record according to Drago was that Sabah have been playing with only one foreign import in defender Dragic Dalidor for most of their previous matches.

“Jamie (Phoenix) only returned to the team in the PKNS clash after recovering from injury.

Tonight, Sabah are likely to play with two foreign players in Dragic and Jamie as third signing Brazilian Andre Scotti has yet to receive his International Transfer Certificate.

The Rhinos are currently fifth in the 13-team league on 11 points and have a mammoth task of keeping pace with leaders Johor Pasir Gudang who have 22 points.

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Rhinos must buck up!

KOTA KINABALU: The Rhinos’ target for promotion to the Super League next season will remain a mere dream unless they overcome their ‘yo-yo’ performances in the ongoing Premier League.

Unless and until they show some consistency they may find their dream fading faster than expected.

There are only four matches left in the first round and the Rhinos are trailing current league leaders Johor Pasir Gudang by 11 points, while second-placed Kuala Muda Naza are 10 points ahead of them.

If the Rhinos still harbour hopes to see top flight action next season, they must finish among the top two in order to gain automatic promotion to the Super League.

Even Rahman Zakaria admitted that they just cannot afford to continue with such inconsistency in their campaign, reminding the players to play their hearts out in their remaining games.

“They have to give the best to the team. They must realise that this is their rice bowl and to do well will not only benefit the team but also themselves,” said Rahman.

The Rhinos’ team manager just could not hide his disappointment after seeing the Rhinos succumb to their third defeat of the season.

“It was very upsetting … (it seemed) everything was not in order. The teams’ performances are like a yo-yo. One day they are very good and playing to the standard of a Super League side but on another day, their form drops to the extent that they seem to be a completely different side.

“I don’t know how to explain this, and I don’t want to blame or point fingers at any of the players. It will be up to them to reflect what went wrong against PKNS … let the players who played in the match think what happened,” Rahman said.

“In future they must focus whenever they take to the field and think of what they could do to lift the team. If not, it is the players who make up the team that will suffer,” he said.

On Friday, the lacklustre Rhinos had only themselves to blame after going down 0-1 to Selangor PKNS in a Premier League match at the Tawau Sports Complex stadium.

PKNS registered the shock victory after striker Mohd Fadhil Hashim netted the winning goal after a well-worked free kick in the 13th minute.

Mohd Fadhil then turned from hero to zero after being sent off for two bookable offences in the 73rd minute but even then the Rhinos could not take full advantage of the situation.

Sabah’s campaign, like in the past few seasons, has been hampered by inconsistency.

They had the best start to the season by winning their first two matches to sit comfortably on top of the 13-team standings.

But when things were starting to go right for them, they just could not deliver the results when it mattered as they were held twice in their next two games.

Things went from bad to worse as they succumbed to two consecutive defeats before bouncing back by edging KL Plus FC last week.

But the defeat to PKNS clearly shows inconsistency is still haunting the team.

The only consolation for the Rhinos following their latest disappointment was that they retained their fifth position in the league on 11 points.

Rahman on behalf of the team also showed his gratitude towards the fans in Tawau for supporting the Rhinos until the final whistle.

Sabah will next face Felda United FC at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium on Monday (Jan 28).

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PKNS STUN RHINOS!

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah were stunned 1-0 by visiting PKNS in a Premier League tie at the Tawau Sports Complex last night. Mohd Fadil Mohd Hashim scored the solitary goal of the night in the 12th minute for the visitors before being shown the red card in the 73rd minute. It was the Rhinos’ second consecutive home defeat and third this season as they found that lady luck was shying away from them yet again. Team manager Rahman Zakaria cursed their luck for not settling for at least a point.

“We had enough chances to even win the game. I just don’t know what went wrong because we had at least two or three open chances at their goalmouth. However, we just could not convert those chances,” said a dejected Rahman. Meanwhile, the Rhinos have been given a first round bye in the FA Cup competition that kicks off next month. The 1995 champions will only begin their campaign in the second round against an unknown opponent as the draw for the second round would only be conducted after the completion of the first round.

The first round of the one-leg competition will take place on February 19 with the second round slated for March 22. The quarter-finals and the semi-finals have tentatively been fixed for April and May respectively. The final will also be held in May.

“We are glad we have been given a bye in the first round. However, there is no big advantage because this is a knockout competition, apart from giving the team enough rest for our Premier League challenge,” the Sabah FA Executive Secretary Harry Baking commented. “We just have to wait and see until the conclusion of the first round. So now our focus will still be on the Premier League,” Harry added. In the draw held in the national capital on Thursday, the reigning champions Kedah will take on club side Selangor PKNS. It is also interesting to see six Super League outfits pitted against each other in the competition that would feature 30 teams from the Super League, Premier League as well as the FAM Cup.

Among the interesting fixtures of the first round are the ties between Selangor and Brunei’s DPMM, and Johor FC and Perak. Last year’s losing finalists Perlis will face KL Plus FC, while Penang take on UPB-MyTEAM.

Negeri Sembilan will face Premier League leaders Johor Pasir Gudang while the National Under-19 squad will face Proton FC. Pahang have been drawn to meet Armed Forces while Melaka will take on FAM Cup outfit Muar Municipal Council, while Sarawak take on another FAM Cup outfit PBD Kuala Terengganu. Kelantan will take on Kuala Muda Naza.

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Straight home defeat!

Premier League matches, 25 JAN 2008
*(-) position before matches

Home	Score	Away	Venue
Sabah (5)	0 - 1	PKNS (10)	Kompleks Sukan Tawau
Shahzan Muda (13)	0 - 0	Felda United (8)	Stadium Darul Makmur
Kuala Lumpur (7)	1 - 3	Johor (1)	Stadium Bolasepak KL
ATM (12)	0 - 1	Kuala Muda (2)	Stadium MP Selayang
Proton FC (6)	2 - 2	Kelantan (3)	Stadium Majlis Bandaraya, PJ
Harimau Muda (9)	1 - 3	Plus FC (4)	Stadium Nasional Bukit Jalil
No Match	-	Melaka (11)

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Andre Scotti Ossemer

Name: Andre Scotti Ossemer

Nationality:Brazilian

Position: Striker

D.O.B: 31st January 1982

Height: 1.77 m

Weight: 71 kg

Previous Clubs:
Criciúma EC(Brazil)
Rio Preto EC(Brazil)
EC Prospera(Brazil)
FC Zwolle(Dutch)



Interview (While he still in FC Zwolle) with broken english(sorry...)

In search of a dream!
More an athlete of our region uses the international football to seek a better income for their family, as well as, for a chance to play your football, as their country of origin does not provide that.This is the case of the attacker, André Ossemer Scotti, 24 years.Birthplace Criciúma, he was at the beginning of this year playing in football of Holland, the team FC Zwolle, which is part of the second division of the Dutch championship.Difficulty in adapting to the cold, with the strong pace of the Dutch to play and strange food, are some of the steps that have to pass to André achieve their dreams.Check below the interview with the player of 71kg and 1.77 m, which was supporting a temperature of zero degree when granted this interview to the New column in Current:

New and Current - Times in which already played?
André Scotti: Criciúma EC, Rio Preto EC and EC Prospera.

New and Current - When play began?
André Scotti: I started in the categories of basis of Criciúma EC, to 14 years.



New and Current - What is your position?
André Scotti: Striker

New and Current - It is the first time we play outside the country?
André Scotti: No, I was already three months in Germany and did an assessment in a time of Spain.

New and current - And how is the adjustment to the food, climate, language?
André Scotti: It is a little difficult, especially with the weather is very cold here, which ends in a little hampering treinamentos.Mas gradually I am adapting.Training with two blouses, pants, gloves, hat (laughter). The language is also very difficult, but I understand a bit of English, then in order to turn a little, because here also speak English, in addition to the Dutch.And it has a Portuguese in the time that is already for some time in Holland and now speaks fluently.And the food and also is different, but I have my meals in restaurants where can I ask what I want, then try asking food similar to Brazil.

New and Current - What is the difference of football played in Brazil for the European?
André Scotti: Here in Europe, at least in Dutch football, they use very physical force, not a soccer ball to the touch like Brazil.



New and current - And you as Brazil, as it does to enter into this rhythm of force?
André Scotti: I am an attacker with characteristics of speed, then try to use my speed to "escape" from contact with the Dutch.

New and Current - What is your biggest dream?
André Scotti: Play in a time of the first division in Europe.Can be recognized here in Europe, and maybe more looking forwards power back to play in Brazil in a large club.

New and current - And why in Brazil is so difficult to play in a big club?
André Scotti: Why in Brazil has many good players. In Brazil it is easy to replace one by the other. Here in Europe do not, they try to make the best of the players who has here.

New and current - and the distance of friends, family, girlfriend, and overcome it?
André Scotti: Ah, until why I am here on the internet!(Laughs).I am quite in the net.Wanted connect too. But now I am used to be outside the home.


(picture:andre is on the right)

New and Current - Dating, groom, single, wound?
André Scotti: Bachelor.

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BOOST FOR RHINOS

KOTA KINABALU: The Rhinos will be boosted by the return of Jamie Phoenix when they take on Selangor PKNS in a Premier League match at the Tawau Sports Complex tonight.

The Englishman will be available for options after recovering from injury.

And there is more good news in the Rhinos’ camp as they are also expected to unveil their latest and third foreign signing in Andre Scotti Ossemer.

The Brazilian has penned an undisclosed contract with the team and is set to make his maiden debut.

However, his appearance will depend on his International Transfer Certificate (ITC).

Andre last played for a second division club – FC Zwolle – in Holland.

“We have signed our third foreign player,” the Sabah FA Executive Secretary Harry Baking confirmed yesterday referring to Andre.

“He will be available for the PKNS game if we can get his ITC on time. We have requested his agent to deal with the matter and hopefully, he will make his debut tomorrow,” Harry said.

The 26-year-old Andre is the third foreign player in the team after Jamie and Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Dragic Dalibor.

Meanwhile, team manager Rahman Zakaria said they will be looking for nothing less than a win over PKNS.

“We just cannot afford to slip points away, so obviously we will go for the three points.

“I just like to remind the players that they got to work hard to get the points and tomorrow will be no different,” said Rahman.

“They have to keep on with the hard work and as long as they are willing to do it, I’m very sure we will get what we want at the end of the day,” he added.

On the return of Jamie and the possible appearance of Andre, Rahman said: “I’m glad he’s finally back. However, it is up to the head coach (Drago Mamic) whether to start him or otherwise.”

“He (Drago) knows what is best for the team and I’m sure he has his plan ready for the game.

“As for Andre, it is our hope that he will be able to play for the team. His presence would surely strengthen the squad. But whether he will be available or otherwise, I’m still convinced we will be able to get the better of our opponents.”

The rest of the players Rahman said are all available for options thus giving an indication that Sabah could parade their strongest squad since the start of the Premier League in late December last year.

To the fans, Rahman hopes more will turn up for the clash that kicks off at 8.15pm.

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SABAH VS KL PLUS, VIDEO

video ini diambil dari http://budakplusfc.blogspot.com/

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FIRST WIN OF THE NEW YEAR

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah finally notched their first win of the New Year – a victory that puts them back on the right track in challenging for promotion.

The 2-1 win over KL Plus on Friday also eventually put their poor run to a halt having secured a mere two points from their previous four outings.

The Rhinos can now take a sigh of relief at least until their next game – at home to Selangor PKNS on Jan 25 at the Tawau Sports Complex.

After the PKNS tie, the Rhinos would also play their next two fixtures at home – against Felda United FC (Jan 28) and Melaka (Feb 1).

A well taken free-kick from Wong Sai Kong and a superb strike from Bobby Gonzales, the in-form striker’s fourth of the season secured the full three points for the Rhinos.

Team manager Rahman Zakaria was delighted to see the team’s return to winning ways.

Rahman said it was a good victory adding that to get the maximum points was as important as putting back the confidence into the players.

“It was not an easy game but the players showed that they take pride in wearing the State jersey and this is the spirit that we want in the team,” Rahman said.

“It was hard on everyone that we were winless in the last four matches but the players know that the war is not over yet.

“They went into the game wanting to win and in the end it was exactly the result that they achieved.

“It was a superb goal from Bobby and he seems to have regained his form. On the other hand, Wan (Irwan) was in his element making some crucial saves as well.

“I’m happy with the overall performance of all the players … they deserve credit for the way they fought against KL Plus FC,” Rahman added.

“There are still some minor things that need to be rectified and I believe the chief coach (Drago Mamic) has taken note of this,” he said.

Sabah, after raking in eight goals en-route to back-to-back victories in their opening two games, endured a miserable run as they drew twice before ending on losing notes in their subsequent two matches.

A third defeat was on the cards as KL Plus FC created at least six scoring chances in the first half, but Sabah’s young goalkeeper Irwan Jamil was in top form to deny the homesters.

But Sai Kong quickly banished the thought of another disappointment as the local import from Negeri Sembilan scored from a 25m free-kick beating KL Plus FC’s goalie Mohd Amirol Jaihan, before Bobby netted the second goal. Import player Alex Agbo scored the solitary goal for KL Plus FC six minutes from time.

The victory saw Sabah moving up to fifth placing on 11 points from seven matches, eight points behind league leaders Johor Pasir Gudang on 19 points.

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SABAH WON! 1st win in 2008

Premier League matches, 18 JAN 2008
*(-) position before matches

Home	Score	Away
Johor (1)	2 - 0	Proton FC (5)
PKNS (13)	5 - 1	Shahzan Muda (12)
Kelantan (4)	4 - 1	ATM (11)
KL Plus FC (3)	1 - 2	Sabah (6)
Kuala Muda NAZA (2)	3 - 1	Harimau Muda (8)
Felda United (9)	2 - 1	Melaka (10)

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BE POSITIVE!

KOTA KINABALU: The Rhinos have been reminded to stay positive ahead of their clash against KL Plus FC in the Premier League challenge at the Selayang Municipal Council Stadium tonight.

Rahman Zakaria said they must go into the game with the right frame of mind in order to be able to give their best show in the game.

The Rhinos’ team manager added that they shouldn’t be demoralised following their back-to-back defeats in the previous games.

Instead, he said the players must take this game as an opportunity to show their character and prove that they can handle whatever pressure or circumstances they are facing.

“It is important for the team to have self-belief! They have to be confident and not think about past results. We have to look ahead and try to get the best possible result in the game,” said Rahman.

“We are all disappointed for what we have suffered in our last two games, but there is no point to cry over spilt milk. What is important now is for us to focus on this game and try to prove something.

“Our journey is still a long way to go and we shouldn’t get upset too easily. It is normal for a team to face what we are facing, but at the same time we must realise that this cannot go on.

“I hope the players have that fighting spirit within them and fight all out to get the points.

“Based on the Premier League standings, they (KL Plus FC) seem to be a good team, but that will not deter us from giving the best we can.

“In fact there is nothing for us to fear because we are playing in the same league. And as long as we can play to our true capability, I’m pretty sure we will get the points.

Sabah are likely to welcome back Englishman Jamie Phoenix for the game, but will miss defender Mohd Munir Amran, who will be serving a two-match automatic suspension after getting a straight red card in the 2-0 defeat by Kuala Muda Naza on Monday.

Other matches tonight will see Kuala Muda Naza taking on Harimau Muda (National Under-19) in Alor Setar, while PKNS will entertain Shahzan Muda in Petaling Jaya.

Felda United FC will face Melaka in Cheras, while the league leaders will take on Proton FC in Larkin with the final match of the night – Kelantan playing host to Armed Forces in Kota Baru.

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DOWN BUT NOT OUT

KOTA KINABALU: Rahman Zakaria insists Sabah may be down, but not out!

He said that the duration of the League is still a long way to go and that anything can happen between now until the end of the season.

“It’s still early days. There are another 18 matches to go, so I really hope the fans will not count us out (of the race for the Premier League crown) just yet,” the Rhinos’ team manager said.

Sabah succumbed to their second straight defeat on Monday after losing 2-0 to the visiting Kuala Muda Naza at the Tawau Sports Complex, which was their first home defeat of the season.

Kelantan inflicted Sabah with their first defeat last week after losing 2-1 in an away battle.

But Rahman believes nothing is over as far as the Rhinos’ challenge is concerned.

“I firmly believe that this team have what it takes to bounce back,” Rahman said of the Rhinos’ two defeats in the space of four days.

“What is important for us is to recover quickly (from our back-to-back defeats). Once we do that, then I think we will be there challenging for the crown,” he added.

Rahman admitted it has been a tough four days for the Rhinos.

“Having to travel so much in between and playing two matches I think it really affected the players.

“You see on (last) Thursday, we traveled to Kota Baru, Kelantan and played a game on Friday. We returned home on Saturday and on Sunday we travelled again to Tawau for the Kuala Muda clash.

“I’m not looking for excuses, but we have to understand that the traveling that we have had is taking its toll on the players.

“We just could not find a day to have a nice rest after a long journey. Anyway, I still believe that the boys will not give up so easily because they know pretty well that this is their rice bowl,” said Rahman.

Against Kuala Muda Naza, Rahman said they had enough chances to take the game into their own hands, but they were so unfortunate not to take the lead despite having numerous goal-scoring chances, including a penalty miss.

“Last night (Monday), there was nothing wrong with our tactics or game plan. We were just unlucky not to convert the chances that we had.

“If we managed to convert one of those chances into a goal, or convert the penalty, I think the game could have been different altogether,” said Rahman, referring to Nafuzi Zain’s penalty miss.

“In any game … if you don’t take your chances well … such is the consequence you are faced with,” Rahman added, while admitting they certainly need a prolific goal-scorer.

With these two results, Rahman hopes that the players realise that there is no place for complacency.

“I want them to realise that we have to produce the results and show consistency not only in our games, but also results.

At the same time, Rahman also thanked the Tawau fans for the support they have shown to the team.

“On behalf of the team, I would like to express our sincere thanks to the fans because they have shown undivided support to the team. Even when we were down, they still rallied behind us, which is very touching. I’m very disappointed that we could not win the game for them,” said Rahman.

Jose Antonio Vega turned hero for the visiting Kuala Muda Naza by netting a brace. He netted the opener in the 73rd minute before adding the second four minutes later.

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SABAH drop to 5th

Standing after 15 Feb 08 matches

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	KL Plus FC	11	9	1	1	25	5	20	28
2	Kuala Muda Naza FC	12	9	0	3	21	12	9	27
3	Johor Pasir Gudang	11	8	2	1	24	9	15	26
4	Kelantan	10	6	4	0	22	11	11	22
5	Sabah	11	6	2	3	19	10	9	20
6	Harimau Muda	11	5	1	5	16	16	0	16
7	Felda United FC	11	4	3	4	11	11	0	15
8	PKNS FC	10	3	2	5	14	14	0	11
9	Proton FC	11	3	1	7	15	26	-11	10
10	Kuala Lumpur	11	2	3	6	15	20	-5	9
11	Melaka	11	2	0	9	11	23	-12	6
12	Shahzan Muda FC	11	1	3	7	9	24	-15	6
13	ATM	11	2	0	9	11	32	-21	6
Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts

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FIRST HOME DEFEAT

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah succumbed to their first home defeat of the season after they were blanked 2-0 by Kuala Muda Naza in a Premier League challenge at the Tawau Sports Complex last night.

Jose Antonio Vega was the hero for the visitors by netting a brace in the space of five minutes. He struck the opener in the 73rd minute with a well executed long range shot from about 25 metres. He then added the second four minutes later, but this time from a superbly taken free-kick which flashed past the hapless young Sabah custodian Irwan Jamil.

Kuala Muda Naza was awarded the free-kick after Munir Amran committed a reckless foul on their player. Munir was shown a straight card for the offence. Earlier on, Sabah wasted a golden opportunity to take the lead when they were awarded a penalty kick. However, Nafuzi Zain’s 70th minute spot kick was saved by the Kuala Muda custodian Azizon Kadir.

This was Sabah’s second straight defeat. Last week they lost 2-1 to Kelantan.

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FIRST DEFEAT IN TAWAU!

Premier League matches, 14 JAN 2008
*(-) position before matches

Home	Score	Away
SABAH (4)	0 - 2	Kuala Muda (2)
Shahzan Muda (11)	0 - 2	Plus FC (3)
Melaka (13)	2 - 1	PKNS (12)
ATM (10)	2 - 3	Johor (1)
Proton FC (7)	1 - 0	Kuala Lumpur (5)
Harimau Muda (8)	1 - 2	Kelantan (6)

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RED CARD THE REF!

KOTA KINABALU: Rahman Zakaria blamed unprofessional and biased refereeing as the main factors that contributed to the Rhinos’ first defeat of the season.

The Rhinos’ team manager said it was so obvious that the man in black had denied them of at least a point from the game.

Rahman claimed that right after they took the lead, the referee’s decisions were all against them.

“Things improved slightly after Kelantan scored the equaliser.

“We are not looking for excuses, but my conclusion is we did not lose the game … it was the referee who took the game away from us as he played a major role in our defeat.


“His biasness was so glaring that one just cannot afford to keep quiet and allow him to keep repeating such unprofessional refereeing in the future.

“Personally, I don’t think he deserves to officiate any matches in the Premier League any longer in the future,” Rahman fumed after seeing his side go down 2-1 to Kelantan at the Sultan Mohd IV Stadium in Kota Baru on Friday.

“He made it just impossible for us to play our game. In short, he killed our rhythm,” Rahman pointed out, adding that they are contemplating on making an official report to the FA of Malaysia.

Sabah took the lead through Bobby Gonzales as earlier as the first minute of the game. The goal was dubbed as the fastest thus far in the Premier League as he slotted home only after 25 seconds of play.

“Such referees do not belong in the League. It only downgrades the League. I’m sure if any team(s) that suffered this kind of biasness would feel the same way we do. I’m not saying that all referees are biased, but in this particular case the match official was (is) unfit to officiate Premier League matches. We have no complaints on the linesmen, as they did their job well.

“I hope the FA of Malaysia will look into this seriously because we know there are some good referees around in the League.

“It is also our humble call for them (FAM) to get rid of the rotten apples for the betterment of the development of football in the country.

Mouhamdau Mustapa scored the equaliser for Kelantan in the 62nd minute before the Senegalese netted the winner five minutes from time.

On the Rhinos’ decline in the competition, Rahman said he was upset and disappointed with the results, but there was not much they could do when they are faced with this kind of refereeing.

Nevertheless, Rahman said they will look into all aspects of the game in reviving the Rhinos’ performances in the competition.

Prior to the defeat Sabah started the new season aggressively by chalking up victories in the opening two games – 4-0 and 4-1 against Armed Forces and Proton FC respectively, before getting two draws – against Kuala Lumpur and Johor Pasir Gudang (both with 1-1 scorelines).

“There is no point to look back because we cannot change the results. So now what is important is for us to look ahead.

“We have an important game on Monday (against Kuala Muda Naza), and it is important for us not to slip any more points any longer,” said Rahman.

The defeat saw the Rhinos drop to fourth in the 13-team standings, five points behind leaders Johor Pasir, who lead the pack with 13 points in their bag.

Kuala Muda Naza occupy the second spot on 12 points, followed by KL Plus FC on 10.

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TRIO FOR TRIALS

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah FA is expecting at least three foreign strikers to attend trials with the team next week. In fact one – Ossemer Andre – has already arrived in the State Capital.

Ossemer – a Brazilian-Italian striker last played for a second division outfit in Holland. The FA Executive Secretary Harry Baking said that they are also expecting a Cameroonian to attend trials with the team. “He is expected to arrive here tomorrow (today),” said Harry.

On the unknown Cameroonian, Harry said he last played for Rangers FC in Hong Kong. Harry also revealed that they are also waiting for confirmation on the arrival of Namibian striker Ruben Arthur Van Wyk.

“We contacted his agent and he expressed his desire to come to attend trials. But at the moment, we have yet to receive any details on his arrival,” said Harry, referring to Namibian international Ruben, capped 47 times and who scored 12 goals for his country.

The Sabah FA is still looking for their third foreign signing after hiring Dragic Dalibor of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Englishman Jamie Phoenix. However, Jamie has been sidelined due to injury, but looks set to make a return in Sabah’s next game.

Meanwhile, the State Reserve League squad succumbed to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Kuala Muda Naza in the President’s Cup challenge in an away battle on Thursday.

Despite having the experience of player-coach Henry Soimpon in their side, the junior Rhinos failed to stop the marauding club side from chalking up their first home win.

In the opener, the junior Rhinos were held to a scoreless draw by Perak last week.

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First defeat!

Premier League matches, 11 JAN 2008
*(-) current position

Home	Score	Away
Kuala Muda NAZA	3 - 0	Shahzan Muda
Plus FC	3 - 1	Melaka
PKNS	1 - 2	Felda UTD
Kelantan	2 - 1	Sabah
Johor	2 - 0	Harimau Muda
Kuala Lumpur	4 - 1	ATM

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DRAGO CONFIDENT

KOTA KINABALU: Drago Mamic says he is satisfied with the Rhinos’ performances thus far, reminding his charges to look ahead! The Croatian said as long as they can keep the momentum going it will surely help make their promotion target a genuine thing.

“Now it is important for us to focus on what is ahead of us and to keep trying hard to improve,” said the Rhinos’ head coach.

“I can say that this is the crucial part of the season and it is important for us to keep up the good work that we have done so far,” said Drago, referring to the Rhinos’ two victories and two draws in their first four opening matches of the 2007-2008 season.

“I think we are in a good position now and we must try to maintain it (position) at least until the end of the first round.

At the moment, Drago said no teams in the Premier League dare to claim they have the upper hand as far as gaining promotion to the Super League is concerned.

“From now on it will all be about consistency. In the next several games, we would also know the strengths of each team. But that does not really bother me, because I’m more concerned about our own team and how we perform.

Nevertheless, Drago is happy to note that the team did pretty well despite the fact that they played with only one foreign player in their last three matches.

Sabah have already hired two foreign players in Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Dragic Dalibor and Englishman Jamie Phoenix.

Jamie scored in his Premier League debut in the 4-0 win over Armed Forces in the opener, but was sidelined since then due to injury, while for Dragic he had featured for the Rhinos in the last four games.

“We were playing against teams that played three foreign players and I’m very happy with the boys for being able to handle the pressure.

“Even with one foreign player, I’m proud to note that we have scored six goals and conceded three in our last three outings.

“This shows that our local-based players are up for the challenge and that the presence of the foreign players will only compliment the team.

“As I have said all along, I want a strong base of local players and I’m very glad they have shown me that. And if we have all our foreign players in the fray, I’m pretty sure we will be a stronger side,” said Drago.

However, Drago would have to wait a little longer before he could really parade his best squad this season.

The team are still searching for the third foreign signing, while Jamie has yet to fully recover from injury.

The Albanian striker who was plying his trade in the Croatian League before coming to attend trials with the Rhinos failed to impress Drago.

“I know him. He was a good striker, but some players just could not take it any longer when they are 35 years old.

Drago also admitted that he made a strong recommendation to the team management to sign the Albanian, but had a change of heart after seeing him (the Albanian) in action against the State Reserve League squad.

“When I first saw him playing three years ago, he was a superb striker, but now he seems to be a totally different player,” he said of the Albanian striker.

“I have told him I’m sorry, but you are not up to our requirements.”

Sabah currently occupy third place in the 13-team Premier League standings, two points behind league leaders Johor Pasir Gudang who are on top with 10 points, while Kuala Muda Naza are second on nine points.

Sabah’s next game is an away tie against Kelantan on Friday.

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DUO ON TRIALS

KOTA KINABALU: A Croatian and a Brazilian are the latest foreign hopefuls to attend trials with the Rhinos.

The duo, both strikers, will make their first training appearance with the Rhinos today at the Penampang Stadium (4.30pm).

The Rhinos are currently sitting third in the 13-team Premier League – two points behind league leaders Johor Pasir Gudang.

They are looking for another foreign signing to fill in the last quota after hiring Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Dragic Dalibor and Englishman Jamie Phoenix.

Despite netting a total of 10 goals after four games and conceding only two, the Rhinos are hoping to land a prolific goal-scorer to help realise their target of gaining promotion to the Super League next season.

So far, things are looking pretty encouraging for the Rhinos and keeping the momentum going will surely see them in top flight action next season.

“We started our season quite well thus far and by signing our third foreign player we will hopefully strengthen the squad,” said the Sabah FA Executive Secretary Harry Baking yesterday.

“We will keep searching for the right player for the team in case these two fail to meet our or the team’s requirements,” he added.

Sabah got off to a storming start to the new season by thrashing Armed Forces 4-0 in the opener before trouncing Premier League new boys Proton FC 4-1 in their first home match.

They then held Kuala Lumpur to a one-all draw in an away battle before being held to a draw (1-1) by Johor in the last home game.

Sabah’s next game is away to Kelantan on Jan 11.

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RAHMAN: NO SWEAT!

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah slipped to third in the Premier League standings after the one-all draw against league leaders Johor Pasir Gudang on Friday, but Rahman Zakaria is not a worried man!

While disappointed the team failed to get full points at their own backyard, the Rhinos’ team manager said he was delighted with the fighting spirit shown by the players.

“They never showed any signs of giving up. They fought until the end. This is the kind of fighting spirit we want in the team,” said Rahman.

Sabah were trailing to a third-minute goal by Mohd Ibrahim Ismail, but second-half substitute Salvester Sindeh saved them the blushes by nodding home the equaliser two minutes from time.

“We had enough chances to win the game, but unfortunately, we only managed to put one behind the net.

“We had like six to seven chances with some of them hitting the goalpost and so on, and we also had a penalty wasted and a goal disallowed,” Rahman said, referring to a Bobby Gonzales penalty miss and Azrul Ejati Damsah’s goal which was disallowed.

“I don’t understand why the referee disallowed the goal. First he blew for the goal, but suddenly he changed his mind when he saw the linesman raise his flag. At first even the linesman said it was a goal, and we are surprised he changed his mind.

“After the game we approached the officials and we were told that the goal was disallowed for handball. But when we asked them who the offender was, he (referee) couldn’t give us any name.

“If a Johor player was responsible then it should have been a penalty because Azrul definitely did not commit any foul or handball. We are very disappointed with his decision,” said Rahman.

On Bobby’s penalty miss, Rahman said it could happen to any player.

“It can happen to any player, so really there’s nothing much one can do about it,” he said.

Sabah were rewarded with the spot kick after Chow Chee Wing was fouled inside the box.

“Anyway, I’m still pleased with the way the players took the game. They showed quality and high spirit. It’s just unfortunate that we could not convert the many chances we had,” said Rahman.

With the result, Sabah dropped to third in the standings on eight points, while Johor Pasir Gudang remain at the top on 10, followed by Kuala Muda Naza on nine.

Sabah’s next game is an away battle against Kelantan on Jan 11, before taking on Kuala Muda Naza at home on Jan 14.

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RHINOS GET A POINT

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah were held to a one-all draw by visiting Johor Pasir Gudang in a Premier League tie at the Tawau Sports Complex last night – thanks to an injury time equaliser from second-half substitute Salvester Sindeh.

Johor Pasir Gudang shocked the homesters by taking the lead as early as the third minute through Mohd Ibrahim. Sabah tried hard to look for an equaliser, but none of their attempts found the net, including a spot kick taken by Bobby Gonzales in the 13th minute that went wide.

Sabah were awarded the penalty kick after Chow Chee Wing was fouled inside the box. But as the match headed for a Johor victory, Salvester nodded home the equaliser to the delight of more than 5,000 home fans. Team manager Rahman Zakaria cursed their luck for the draw.

He said: “It was one of those nights where things weren’t right for the team. The boys tried their best and played their hearts out.” “I have no complaints on how we performed tonight because we created chances and just could not finish them off,” he added.

“We dominated the game throughout despite trailing to their early goal. I’m not looking for excuses, but I think the word here is we were just unlucky tonight. “But as much as we wanted to win the match, there was nothing we could do when this happened. So I think we should now look forward. “Furthermore, one point is better than losing the game,” Rahman said.

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THRILLER IN STORE

KOTA KINABALU: The Rhinos will be going into the top of the table clash against Johor Pasir Gudang eyeing nothing less than a victory as they plot to reclaim the pole position.

The match that kicks off at 8.15pm at the Tawau Sports Complex tonight is the Rhinos’ second home game of the season after the 4-1 victory over Proton FC on Dec 28.

The Rhinos are confident of a second victory on home turf that would eventually help move them back to the top spot.

After three games into the new season, Johor Pasir Gudang sit on the top of the 13-team standings after maintaining their 100 per cent record thus far, ahead of the second-placed Rhinos by two points, who were held to a one-all draw by Kuala Lumpur in their last game (away).

But despite the draw against Kuala Lumpur, Rahman Zakaria believes they would be back to winning ways, starting with tonight’s game.

“This will be an important game because it is our first match of the New Year. And it is good to start our New Year challenge on a high as it will give us confidence. So tomorrow (tonight) we will do our utmost best to get full points,” the Rhinos’ team manager said.

“Undoubtedly this is going to be an interesting clash. We know Johor are a good side as their record shows, but we are not afraid, especially when we are playing in our own backyard.

“Here I would like to make a humble call to the fans … for them to come in full force to support the team.

“I also want them to realise that they are one of the key factors to the team’s success. So I hope they will stay and rally behind the team and help make it (Tawau Sports Complex) a place teams fear coming to,” Rahman added.

On a positive note, Rahman pointed out that they will have a full squad for the match, adding that all the players are available for options.

He then hinted that the Rhinos’ head coach Drago Mamic is likely to be sticking to the side that played in the game against Kuala Lumpur.

“I don’t think there’ll be any changes, but before the game, anything can happen. But for this game I’m very sure, he (Drago) will go for a winning formula,” said Rahman.

The other matches of the night will see FELDA United FC taking on KL Plus FC, while Melaka will take on Kuala Muda Naza.

Shahzan Muda will face Kelantan, while Harimau Muda (national Under-19) will be pitted against Kuala Lumpur. The last fixture of the night will see Armed Forces taking on Proton FC.

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Rahman: We’ll bounce back!

KOTA KINABALU: Rahman Zakaria insists that Sabah will be back to winning ways when they kick start their New Year campaign by taking on Johor Pasir Gudang at the Tawau Sports Complex on Friday.

The Rhino’s team manager believes team spirit is still on a high despite a halt to their winning run by Kuala Lumpur in their previous match and he insists that the 1-1 draw is still a positive result as it brought home a precious point from the game at the KLFA Stadium in Cheras.

“We played two away games and a home match so far this season. And winning four points along the road and without slipping any points away from home is not a bad result at all,” said Rahman.

Sabah kicked off their season by thrashing Armed Forces 4-0 in an away battle before trouncing Proton FC 4-1 at home.

They were held to a draw by Kuala Lumpur despite taking the lead through a goal from defender Wong Sai Kong.

“It is a pity that we were unable to win the match. We conceded the equaliser when Kuala Lumpur was playing with 10 men. It was a sloppy goal, but this happens in football.

“In the match (against Kuala Lumpur), we seemed to be over confident when we were leading. But I hope the players will learn from this outing, They mustn’t take thing easy until the battle is won.

“Although it was not our best of games we still managed to dominate play. But I’m just a bit disappointed with our opponent because of their rough tactics. We were just lucky that none of our players got hurt.

Even the referee seemed not to bother too much on the matter except for in one instance where a Kuala Lumpur player got his marching orders,” Rahman said.

“On a positive note, I’m happy to see that the players were able to handle the pressure. This shows that we can compete under any circumstances,” he added.

Rahman believes the team will be stronger when they sign their third foreign signing.

“We are still on the look out, and hopefully we will get our man soon. We are in no hurry though, because we want to make sure that we will sign a quality player that will help strengthened the team especially in the attacking department,” said Rahman dropping a hint that they are looking for a striker.

So far Sabah has signed two foreign players; Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Dragic Dalibor and an Englishman, attacking midfielder Jamie Phoenix.

Jamie scored in his Premier League debut against Armed Forces, but missed the Rhino’s last two matches, due to injury. He is expected to be back against Johor Pasir Gudang.

Sabah was toppled from the top spot in the 13-team standings by Johor who lead the pack on maximum 9 points after three games.

Sabah is in second on seven. Friday’s kick-off is at 8.45pm.

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