Nidzam at wit’s end as problems pile up for Kedah
KEDAH coach Nidzam Adzha Yusoff has to figure out a way to plot through a hectic fixture list this month given the injuries ravaging his squad and the potential loss of five Under-22 players to national duty.
After bouncing back from a 3-2 home defeat to Perak last week to beat Melaka 2-0 on Tuesday to open their Malaysia Cup title defence, Nidzam said it is a challenging period with matches coming thick and fast.
“In a situation where we have to play matches every three or four days, players will be tired and we need to look at the mistakes in defence which happened again. Luckily we were not be punished by Melaka,” Nidzam told TV9 after the Group C match at the Darulaman Stadium.
“The medical team says the injured players are recovering well which is a positive development and I hope to have them back playing soon.”
Kedah played without defender Zachary Anderson and striker Ken Ilso on Tuesday though Baddrol Bakhtiar made a goalscoring return from injury after Sandro Mendonca had put the team ahead.
Baddrol was rushed back after being sorely missed in the defeat to Perak but Nidzam took the precaution of withdrawing the midfielder in the 65th minute.
Nidzam fielded four players wanted by national youth coach Ong Kim Swee for the AFC Under-23 Championship qualifiers later this month in goalkeeper Ifwat Akmal Chek Kassim, rightback Ariff Farhan Isa, midfielder Amirul Hisyam Awang Kechik and winger Syafiq Ahmad.
“There were certain situations where the decision-making of the young players was not correct or fast enough, it’s an area they need to improve,” Nidzam said.
“I had to play Baddrol even though he is not fully fit but what he did for 60 minutes was good enough. We will see who we have for the next two matches but I hope to get the Under-22 players released for Friday’s game against Universiti Teknologi Mara and next Tuesday’s match against Melaka.”
Meanwhile, Pahang coach Dollah Salleh is still looking for his first post-break win after being held by Premier League leaders Negri Sembilan 2-2 in Kuantan in a Group A match.
This follows a 2-1 defeat to Felda United in Jengka on Saturday which wrecked their Super League title bid.
“A lot of things did not go right especially in the first half when we did not play to our true level,” Dollah said. “I don’t know why this happened although we tried to recover in the second half. But we are not playing at our normal level.”