THE STAR, FRIDAY 5 MARCH 2021 Sport 27 THE SUPER LEAGUE CAST JOHOR DARUL TA’ZIM (JDT) KEDAH TERENGGANU Last season’s finish: Super League Last season’s finish: Second Last season’s finish: Third champions Coach: Aidil Sharin Coach: Nafuzi Zain Coach: Benjamin Mora Foreign players: Kpah Sherman (Lbr), Foreign players: Christopher Herd Foreign players: Hariss Harun (Sin), Tchetche Kipre (Civ), Renan Alves (Bra), (Aus), Carli De Murga (Phi), David Da Gonzalo Cabrera (Arg), Leandro Rabih Ataya (Leb) and M. Anumanthan Silva (Bra), Petrus Shitembi (Nam) and Velasquez (Arg), Bergson Da Silva (Bra) Kumar (Sin) Makan Konate (Mal) and Mauricio Santo (Bra) Player to watch: Rabih Ataya Player to watch: Nik Akif Syahiran Player to watch: Daniel Amier Home: Darulaman Stadium Home: Sultan Mizan Stadium Norhisham Home: Sultan Ibrahim Stadium KEDAH under Aidil Sharin have TERENGGANU will have one of looked solid over the years. Even the youngest squads in the league, HANDS down, the favourites for Benjamin Mora though they have had to deal with off- Rabih Ataya and it will be exciting to see how Nafuzi Zain the title again. An eighth straight title field issues, the players have been Nafuzi Zain guides his youthful can be expected as JDT have added even more quality to professionals on the pitch. This season, they have a tight bunch. In terms of foreign players, they have gone for their side. They have maintained their core and snapped up schedule as they will also feature in the AFC Cup. Aidil has experience as they aim to impress in the Super League and exciting players like Daniel Amier Norhisham and drafted some boys from the President Cup team to energise also AFC Cup. The trio of Makan Konate, Petrus Shitembi Mohamadou Sumareh. Benjamin Mora has the luxury to the squad. The signing of Rabih Ataya is a masterstroke as and David Da Silva will catch the eye, but the most exciting rotate his team, and it will be interesting to see the number the Lebanese international will bring creativity to the side. acquisition is Nik Akif Syahiran. Making his Super League of games each player gets. If the highly-rated Daniel Amier Players like Kpah Sherman and Tchetche Kipre will surely debut, the 21-year-old former Kelantan player has the becomes a regular, he will be a real asset for the Southern benefit from it and if the three can click, defences will have qualities to impress. Tigers. a tough time containing them. PERAK SELANGOR UiTM Last season’s finish: Fourth Last season’s finish: Fifth Last season’s finish: Sixth Coach: Chong Yee Fatt Coach: Karsten Neitzel Coach: Frank Bernhardt Foreign players: Shakir Hamzah Foreign players: Safuwan Foreign players: Nana Poku (Gha), (Sin), Careca (Bra) and Leandro Dos Baharuddin (Sin), Ifedayo Olusegun Victor Nirennold (Fra), Abou Bakr Santos (Bra) (Bah), Michael Konrad (Ger), Oliver Al-Mel (Leb), Dominik Picak (Cro) Player to watch: Shahrul Saad Buff (Swi) and Tim Heubach (Ger) and Adam Reed (Phi) Home: Perak Stadium Player to watch: Shahrel Fikri Md Player to watch: Nana Poku Fauzi Home: UiTM Stadium PERAK are not having the best Home: Petaling Jaya Stadium of preparations, as they have only LOSING the quartet of Ousmane played one friendly and lost the Shahrul Saad THE players are embracing the Shahrel Fikri Fane, Gustavo Almeida, Rabih Nana Poku services of Australian coach ways set by Karsten Neitzel during Ataya and Mark Hartmann is a Mehmet Durakovic. Chong Yee Fatt comes in with the heavy training, and once they get into the groove, they will surely blow, but UiTM seem to have found capable replacements. task of motivating his players but if he can win the trust of be an entertaining team to watch. While Neitzel have Frank Bernhardt’s no-nonsense approach and the the players fast, he can have a good season. For that to foreign quality in Tim Heubach, Michael Konrad and Oliver leadership of Frenchman Victor Nirennold on the field can happen, he must first be able to inspire captain Shahrul Buff, the local signings like Shahrel Fikri Md Fauzi, Nik lift the side to some surprising results. The signing of Saad to lead the fight in every game. Together with Shakir Shareef Haseefy and R. Dinesh can also impress. Shahrel, Ghanaian striker Nana Poku will be an asset after his Hamzah at the back, Shahrul can steady the ship and help also known as Eky, is out to continue his goalscoring exploits in Egypt and Qatar. Players like Abou Bakr Al-Mel, the Seladang challenge the top teams. exploits of last season. If he hits it off with Super League top Dirga Surdi and Khairul Izuan Rosli can provide scorer Ifedayo Olusegun, the Red Giants will be a big threat. ammunition for the hitman. PETALING JAYA CITY PAHANG MELAKA Last season’s finish: Seventh Last season’s finish: Eighth Last season’s finish: Ninth Coach: P. Maniam Coach: Thomas Dooley Coach: Zainal Abidin Hassan Foreign players: None Foreign players: Lee Tuck (Eng), Foreign players: Manuel Ott (Phi), Jang Player to watch: K. Gurusamy Mamadou Wague (Leb), Herold Suk-won (Kor), Alex Goncalves (Bra), Home: UiTM Stadium Goulon (Fra), Pedro Henrique (Tls) Stefan Nikolic (Mne) and Sony Norde and Yevhen Bokhashvili (Ukr) (Hai) PETALING Jaya City believe they Player to watch: Nor Azam Azih Player to watch: Manuel Ott can defy the odds with an all-local Home: Darul Makmur Stadium Home: Hang Jebat Stadium cast. Coach P. Maniam, known for his work in developing youth AMERICAN coach Thomas THIS will be Zainal Abidin players, is optimistic that a blend Dooley is capable of elevating Hassan’s third season with the team of youth and experience will help Pahang with his tactics. With and if he fails, he may lose his job. K. Gurusamy Thomas Dooley Manuel Ott them to a creditable finish. Leading foreigners like Lee Tuck, Yevhen He has added experience to the their quest will 32-year-old captain Bokhashvili, Herold Goulon, Mousedeer, in the form of centreback K. Gurusamy, who is still considered one of the best Mamadou Wague, and Pedro Henrique, the Elephants can Khairul Helmi Johari and winger Wan Zaharulnizam Wan midfielders in the country. Maniam will need him to be at make big strides. Keeping Nor Azam Azih is a good move, as Zakaria. As for the foreigners, each of them can bring a his best if the team are to perform well. Youngsters like R. he is highly sought after by many clubs. If Dooley allows different dimension. Manny Ott can dictate the tempo, Jang Kogileswaran, Syahmi Zamri and Sunil Chandran can also him to be the focal point in midfield, he can do wonders. Suk Won can toughen up the defence, Sony Norde offers be relied on to provide energy and creativity. Pahang also boast a quality local signing in Abdul Malik Mat pace and creativity on the flanks, while Alex Goncalves and Ariff, a top winger with a knack for scoring goals. Stefan Nikolic can fire home the bullets. SABAH PENANG KUALA LUMPUR Last season’s finish: 10th Last season’s finish: Premier League Last season’s finish: Third in the Coach: Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto champions Premier League Foreign players: Park Tae-su (Kor), Coach: Thomas Trucha Coach: Bojan Hodak Levy Madinda (Gab), Saddil Ramdani Foreign players: Rafael Vitor (Bra), Foreign players: Dominique Da Sylva (Ina), Sam Johnson (Lbr) and Risto Casagrande (Bra), Endrick Santos (Mrt), Romel Morales (Col), Paulo Milevski (Mne) (Bra), Ryuji Utomo (Ina) and Josue (Bra), Kevin Ray Mendoza (Phi) Player to watch: Rawilson Batuil Sheriddin Boboev (Taj) and Giancarlo Gallifuoco (Aus) Home: Likas Stadium Player to watch: Sheriddin Boboev Player to watch: Paulo Josue Home: City Stadium, Georgetown Home: Cheras Football Stadium SABAH have kept their key local players such as captain and THEY were imperious in the HIRING Bojan Hodak as coach is a centreback Rawilson Batuil, Premier League, but can they smart move and Kuala Lumpur have goalkeeper Rozaimie Rohim and Rawilson Batuil impress in the Super League? Thomas Trucha made some worthy signings too like Paulo Josue midfielder Azzizan Nordin. But Penang look confident under new Safee Sali, Irfan Zakaria and Hadin Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto can’t just rely on them, and he has coach Thomas Trucha, already popular for being a Juergen Azman. Hodak is someone who relies on substantial team snapped up some quality imports like winger Saddil Klopp lookalike. The Panthers have kept their key players depth to get wins and in this team, he has at least two good Ramdani and midfielder Levy Madinda, who has won more like Casagrande, Endrick Santos, Al-Hafiz Harun, Rafael players for every position. Right now, it’s the chemistry they than 50 caps with Gabon. Rawilson will surely learn a lot Vitor and Samuel Somerville and bolstered the squad with have to work on, and if they can get that going in the first from defender Risto Milevski, who has played on the new names like Jafri Firdaus Chew, Zafuan Azeman, Ryuji few games, they can be a top team. Captain Paulo Josue is a Europa League stage. Sam Johnson is Liberia’s captain, and Utomo and Sheriddin Boboev. If the highly-rated Boboev gifted playmaker, and the attackers will benefit from his will be trusted to deliver the goals. can conjure up a good partnership with Casagrande, Penang metronomic passes. KL will survive, but it will be will be a clear and present danger. interesting to see where they finish..