DUO BOOST FOR SELANGOR
Amri, Andik return to the frontline
COACH P. Maniam expects better days for Selangor following the return of forwards Amri Yahyah and Indonesian international Andik Vermansyah.
Both players, along with Francis Doe, will marshal Selangor’s attack when they entertain Pahang in a Super League match at Selayang Stadium today.
Amri returned to Selangor recently following an unsuccessful half-season stint with Melaka while Andik will play his first competitive match today since injuring his knee in last year’s AFF Cup.
Maniam is optimistic the trio will offer positives to Selangor in the remainder of the season.
“Their inclusions have given me more options in attack. Andik, Amri and Doe have been combining well in training.
“However, I want them to be team players. They must help our defence when required and also create and score goals.
“Pahang are among the leading contenders this season and it will not be easy to contain them,” said Maniam yesterday.
Pahang are second in the standing with 21 points while Selangor are fourth on 17.
Selangor are looking for a foreign striker to boost their attack. It is learnt that Doe or Timor Leste’s forward Juliano Fernandes will be dropped if they find the right foreign player before the mid-season transfer window ends on June 11.
Doe, who has scored five goals, has also received an offer from Felda United.
“We want to see whether we can get a good foreign striker. Several players from Argentina and Brazil will be on trial with the club on Thursday and Friday,” said Maniam.
The coach also aspires to guide his team to success in the Malaysia Cup, where Selangor have been drawn with Darul Ta’zim, Sarawak and Terengganu in Group D.
“We made the final of the Malaysia Cup in the past two years, and so we will try to do so again.
“We will need to plan properly to balance both the league and the Malaysia Cup. Our target for the league is top five,” Maniam added.