Coulibaly feels the heat as Burn breathes down his neck

PETALING JAYA: It’s do or die for PKNP’s lanky striker Kalidou Yero Coulibaly.

The team’s head coach Abu Bakar Fadzim has urged the former Senegalese international to buck up or he’ll lose his spot in the team.

Four weeks after arriving in Perak, the 27-year-old Coulibaly still insists he needs more time to adapt and the team are starting to lose patience with how long he’s taking to deliver.

Abu Bakar, fondly known as Burn, said Coulibaly has to perform against Petaling Jaya City today at the Manjung Municipal Council Stadium if he wants to remain in the team.

“He has to perform or else he’ll risk getting kicked out of the team. We’ve played two games and Kalidou is still not up to par,” said Abu Bakar.

“I’ve spoken to him personally to remind him of the club’s ambition and what we want from him. Kalidou’s credentials look good but he needs to know that the Malaysian League is tough.

“Many other players are eager to prove their worth. He should not take it lightly, and it’s time for him to perform against PJ City.”

The 1.97m (6”4’) striker was signed up to beef up the team’s attack but his lacklustre displays against Melaka and Felda United have frustrated Abu Bakar.

“If he’s still struggling, then I have no choice but to look for a replacement before the window closes on Feb 20. To me, I don’t want to lose any more points.

“To me, we’re playing well but we don’t have a player with that killer instinct. Imports are signed to enhance the team. If they’re struggling or are of similar standard to local players, there’s no point keeping them.

“So it’s time for him (Kalidou) to show his capability. Prove us wrong. We need more goals, and I hope he can address that woe.”

On newly-promoted PJ City, Abu Bakar said the team are more stable than last season and has urged his midfielders and defenders to keep an eye on South Korean playmaker Bae Beom-geun.

“If we can stop their Brazilian attackers and the South Korean, we have a chance to win. Their advantage is having a full quota of imports, but we will do our best to get the three points.

“I would deem this match as the ‘Battle of the Clubs’. We all want to prove our credentials and show the critics that we deserve to stay in this league.”