Billy pledges his best to lead under-19 squad
Head coach Vun Ket Ming @ Billyton pledges his utmost best to lead the state under-19 squad to face the Youth Cup 2019 campaign.
KOTA KINABALU: Head coach Vun Ket Ming @ Billyton pledges his utmost best to lead the state under-19 squad to face the Youth Cup 2019 campaign.
The country’s premier under-19 football league is expected to start on February 20.
And Billy, as he is fondly known, said he was ready for the challenges in what will be his first ever appointment as head coach to a state football squad.
Speaking on the first day of training in Likas near here yesterday, Billy admitted the appointment took him by surprise as he has expected to be involved in state under-21 squad where he was the assistant coach last season.
“I have been focussing on the under-21 squad but with the announcement (as under-19 head coach), I will need to work extra harder,” said the former state winger popularly known for his dribbling skills.
According to him, he may need to start from scratch in the effort to form a formidable squad for the new campaign.
“I did not handle the selection trials for the team so I need to get to know the players well like their individual abilities.
“This will allow me to apply whatever strategy based on the abilities of the players...either to play possesion or direct football,” he said.
Having said that, Billy admitted that time may not be on his side to have a full pre-season since the kick off is just around five weeks to go.
“There is really not much time KUALA LUMPUR: Shuttler Lee Zii Jia reckons that those playing under the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) banner, especially in men’s singles, must make full use of home ground advantage when the six-day Perodua Malaysia Masters begins today.
The 21-year-old, who is the sole BAM representative, also knows that he will have his work cut out for him as he will start his campaign from the qualifying rounds in the US$350,000 (RM1.43 million) Malaysia Masters at the Axiata Arena.
“It’s true that most of the BAM players are young. But I hope all the youngsters, not just me, will make it our responsibility to prove that our generation of shuttlers can stand and deliver,” he said in a statement here yesterday.
“I think we can all take heart from the return of Datuk Lee Chong Wei to training because he is someone we all look up to and he can lead us,” added Zii Jia, who lost to experienced Frenchman Brice Leverdez in the quarter-finals of last week’s Thailand Masters.
The other BAM players competing at the Malaysia Masters are Aaron Chia-Wooi Yik Soh, Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi (men’s doubles); Goh Jin Wei, Lee Ying Ying, Sonia Cheah (women’s singles); Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean (women’s doubles); and Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai, Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing (mixed doubles).
Zii Jia, who is from Alor Setar, hopes to reach the final although he knows he must first get past the qualifying rounds. for me or the team. For physical fitness maybe it is still possible but to improve their mental strength, it may take more time.
“Nevertheless, I will try my very best to get the team ready for the new season,” he vowed.
On the existing players, Billy said the squad comprise 40 trainees but will be trimmed to 30 in the next 10 days to complete the final squad to face the challenge.
“I hope that all the players will show what they can do on the pitch...show their special ability, commitment and hard work.
“I want them to imagine that they are already in the final squad because I want to combine fitness and games conditioning.
“We may not have time for pre-season matches and team building...this could affect their mental strengh in some ways.
“If there is no other option, I may have to call up those President’s Cup players still eligible to play for under-19 to get involved with the (team) training,” he said.
Meanwhile, Billy assured that those who failed to make the final 30 could still make the squad where he would not hesitate to replace those who underperformed during the open window.
Billy will be assisted by Faizal Ahmad with Jasrih Jabidin as the goalkeeper coach.
The state under-19 squad has been drawn in Group B of the Youth Cup 2019 with Terengganu FC IV, Kedah, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, JDT IV, Perak, Pahang, Sarawak and Penang.
The teams in Group A are defending champions PKNS FC, Selangor United, MISC-MIFA, SSBJ B-17, Melaka, UiTM FC, Kuala Lumpur, PKNP FC, Perlis, Kelantan and Felda United FC.
The group stage will be played on a home-and-away format to decide the top four that will qualify to the quarterfinals.
In the 2018 campaign, the state under-19 under former head coach Mohd Aiyyman Shah Johny Abdullah finished second in the group to advance into the quarterfinals where they lost to Kedah 3-4 on aggregate.
Zii Jia and co must stand and deliver on home ground