NSFC has 85 per cent new players

SEREMBAN, Dec 24  -- The Negeri Sembilan FC (NSFC) team under the guidance of new head coach K. Devan will be composed of 85 per cent new players to face the Premier League next season.

Devan, who confirmed the matter to Bernama, said most of them are experienced Negeri Sembilan-born players who had played with several other teams in the Super League and Premier League this season.

"Currently, we already have 16 to 17 local players. We will have four imported players. We have confirmed one imported player and three more players are being identified.

"With the big changes I make this year, hiring quality players, I am confident in the team we will form. It is not impossible for us to reach the top five in the Premier League but I want to make sure we qualify for the 2022 Super League and we need to be in the top two in the league and that is our target, ”he said today.

The Bahau, Jempol-born coach said that to strengthen the NSFC team in facing the league competition, he had the service of a 27-year-old midfielder from South Korea, Bae Beom Geun who is currently playing with a team in Slovakia.

Commenting on rumours that Kedah team striker Mohamad Zaquan Adha Abd Radzak would return to don the ‘Hobin Jang Hobin’ squad jersey, Devan said the national player had expressed interest to be with Negeri Sembilan.

NSFC, prior to this, had recruited several new players including Selangor 2 defender Raja Imran Shah Raja Amin, three former PJ City FC players, namely, brothers, R. Barathkumar (striker) and R. Aroon (defender) and Damien Lim ( goal keeper).

Also grabbed by NSFC were three former Melaka United FC, Saiful Ridzuwan Selamat (midfielder), Annas Rahmat (defender) and Muhammad Ferris Danial Mat Nasir (striker).

Apart from that, three former Felda United FC players, namely, Ahmad Tasnim Fitri Mohd Nasir and Osman Yusoff, both are defenders, and Mohd Muhaimin Mohamad (goalkeeper) as well as Terengganu FC defender, Nasrullah Haniff Johan were among those who will join NSFC next season.

On NSFC targets besides qualifying for the Super League, Devan said it would depend heavily on the team's performance.

"If we can compete with the teams in the Super League, I think we can play in the Malaysia Cup and the FA Cup, and we also have to see the team draw in the FA Cup. If we get voted with teams that we can overcome, we will try ... we do not set a target only in the Premier League, "he said.

For NSFC team supporters, Devan promised a big change in the team's performance and playing pattern as well as confident of achieving the qualifying target for the Super League, which is the main target.

"My mission is to bring the NSFC team to the Super League scene, thus giving satisfaction to Negeri Sembilan football fans. I also have a long term plan to form a strong team with a detailed and systematic planning," said Dewan who would be assisted by assistant head coach K. Rajan.

Devan returned to coaching the Negeri Sembilan football team for the third time after the first in the 2003 to 2006 season, followed by the 2015 season.

This season, Negeri Sembilan under the guidance of head coach Sazali Saidon finished the Premier League competition in the second lowest position among 12 teams after recording three wins, two draws and six defeats.

-- BERNAMA