12 Jan Fans back for rejuvenated Selangor

WHILE many thought that Kedah would be the team to look out for in this season’s Malaysian Super League (MSL), it has instead been Selangor who have been stealing the spotlight. Selangor, MSL newcomers KL Plus FC and Negri Sembilan, occupy the top three slots in the table while defending champions Kedah are still looking for their first win. Last Saturday Selangor beat Negri Sembilan 3-0 at the Shah Alam Stadium for their third straight win. And if that’s not a boost, the Selangor fans are also beginning to find their way back to the stadiums whenever their team play.

On Saturday close to 25,000 die-hard Selangor fans were present. “It is great to see the fans coming back. I am very taken up with their presence and I am sure that is also a motivating factor for the players. “We hope they continue to support the team,” said Selangor team manager Zakaria Rahim. Zakaria, who was instrumental in getting K. Devan to come over from Kuala Muda Naza to coach Selangor, also believes that winning the Charity Shield has turned the team around. “In the pre-season, we told the players we want to win at least one Cup and do our best in the MSL. We won the Charity Shield and that has really boosted the players’ confidence,” added Zakaria. “Devan and the coaching staff have been working very hard for the last three months. They do their homework and the team preparation is very good.”

For KL Plus, Premier League runners-up last year, it is a new experience but coach Mat Zan Mat Aris has warned his players not to get complacent as the league has just begun, and that they must stay focused. To their credit, KL Plus showed no fear when they edged Terengganu 2-1 at home before beating Pahang 1-0 at the Darulmakmur Stadium on Saturday. They were also awarded three points by the FA of Malaysia (FAM) competitions committee when their match against Kelantan on Jan 3 was called off due to an unprepared pitch at the Sultan Mohamed IV Stadium in Kota Baru. “The ban of foreign players this season has forced the teams to rely on locals which I feel provides an equal chance to all the teams in the league,” said Mat Zan. KL Plus next host Penang, who edged Perlis 1-0 on Saturday at the City Stadium, at the KLFA Stadium tomorrow.