TABS Safa Bandaraya to represent Sabah at Under-15 championship

KOTA KINABALU: TABS Safa Bandaraya are bringing the State's challenge to the Dato Sri Nazir Razak Cup Under15 Football Championship in Selangor.

The tournament, which is organised by CIMB Foundation, will take place on December 8-11 at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Mini Stadium in Bangi. Sabah will be competing with the likes of Kuala Lumpur, Kedah, Kelantan and Malacca.

One of TABS Safa Bandaraya's weekly training programme coaches, Jumat Jimmy said it was the first time that an Under-15 tournament is being organised.

“We do not know the capabilities of other teams but we will try our best,” he said when contacted here, yesterday.

TABS Safa Bandaraya comprise 16 players. They are accompanied to the tournament by coach Michael Wong and team manager Hassan Madisah.

According to Jumat, TABS Safa Bandaraya are competing in the tournament because their weekly training programme is also under the sponsorship of CIMB Bank.

It is an annual tournament organised by the CIMB Foundation, which never featured an Under-15 competition before this.

“We will try to join other age group competitions in the future to give exposure to our young players,” Jumat said.

The TABS weekly training programme has been conducted for over 20 years and it currently has more than 100 players, some as young as 10 years old.

Matasan Ahmad is the technical director of TABS.

The TABS Safa Bandaraya squad consisted of Jichiro Severinus, Amir Jef, Mohamad Azraei Mursidin, Mohamad Azhar Mursidin, Muhamad Zulhelmi Zulkifli, Vedrick Rent Noorman, Mohamad Syahryl Aiman Saiddin, Pladius Binsuan, Mohd Aisamuddin, Mohd Aisamuddin Ramin, Beckhiley Douny, Mohd Dzulazhar Nurkhimal, George Zulkifli, Max Me Mixmillen Hilton, Mohammad Daniel Hakimi, Mohamad Nazrul Fikri Mujid, Mohamad Syeikhal Alah and Mohd Aiman Saidih.