TFC may not get 'the tanker' in time for next two matches

KUALA TERENGGANU, June 11 (Bernama) -- Terengganu FC may have to forget all hopes of securing the services of Brazilian import Luis Gustavo Camilo in time for their two Super League matches against  Melaka United and Perak mid this month. 

As it turns out, the defender, known in the football circle as 'The Tanker’ has yet to receive his International Transfer Certificate from the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). 

Terengganu Football Association (TFA) secretary general Datuk Tengku Farouk Husin Tengku Abdul Jalil said the association had in place all documents required under FIFA's Transfer Matching System (TMS) procedures, and as soon as the ITC is received, Camilo will be flown in to join TFC. 

“So, there is a possibility we have play our away matches against Melaka on June 15 and Perak three days later without Camilo, who is now in training with his club (Ferroviaria in Brazil).

“However, this should not affect the Turtles performance as we have backup plans for every possibility,” he said in a statement here, today. 

As for preparations for the two games, Tengku Farouk Husin said TFC will fully utilise the feeder club system to rope in talent from its reserve team, TFC 2. 

He said as far as TFC was concerned, the feeder club system has been functioning well after several feeder club players brought in at the start of the season helped improve the main squad.

“Shahrin Sapien, Muhamad Fauzi, Haidir Husani dan Izzan Syahmir Mustafa are among the feeder club players who represented TFC in the early parts of the season, and the latest players to be roped in by acting coach Nafuzi Zain are Abdul Shukor Jusoh and Muhamad Hafizal who featured in our last two games.

“With the quality they possess, their game can only get better and this will strengthen TFC,” he said, although acknowledging that the resignation of TFC head coach, Irfan Bakti Abu Salim had somewhat led to the changes in the squad. 

-- BERNAMA