Segovia at home with Red Giants
PETALING JAYA: Spaniard footballer Rufino Segovia (pic) has no regrets extending his stay with Selangor for the 2019 season.
“I love this country and its football,” Segovia proudly declares.
The 2018 Super League golden boot winner said he wanted to secure his stay in Selangor once his contract ended and is glad that new coach B. Sathianathan wanted him to stay on.
“I feel very much lucky to play in Selangor. When I first came to Malaysia, Selangor gave me the chance to play, and from the first day itself, they made me feel at home.
“I always want to improve as a player. Last season was amazing, but this season, I aim to play with greater energy and give my best. Not just scoring goals, but my overall performance must be better than last season,” said the player who is fondly known as Rufo by his teammates.
Last season, Segovia, 33, scored 31 goals in all competitions and was in smashing form in the Super League when he emerged as the top scorer with 19 goals. He joined Selangor in mid-2017 and impressed by scoring 10 goals in 12 matches.
The Madrid-born player spent his Christmas in Kuala Lumpur and is only focused on next season’s preparation.
“I went to the city for some sightseeing. Other than that, my Christmas was easy and simple. I have been here training for almost 10 days, and I want to make sure I am fit for the season.”
Working with coach Sathianathan for the first time, Segovia only had good things to say about the former Malaysian national team coach.
“I have trained with him for almost 10 days, and I can tell you that he is serious about his job. He knows what is best for the team and the players. He is clear about his style of play, and the players are up to it.
“This coach can change the history of Selangor,” said the former player from Kitchee FC of Hong Kong.
Segovia also said there are some youngsters in the team – Sean Eugene Selvaraj, Muhammad Syahmi Safari, A. Namathevan, K. Kannan and Muhammad Amirul Ashraf Ariffin – who will be assets for the Red Giants.