The goal-den touch
Goal-shy Perak seek understanding as they await Lady Luck
KUALA LUMPUR: The football is great, the chances are there but the ball doesn’t seem to go into the net.
Perak head coach Mehmet Durakovic, who has been given the moniker ‘Draw-kovic’ by some Perak fans, said luck is not on his side at the moment.
“People who know me knows that I always give my best. Fans have to give us a bit of time. We will come back,” said the former Selangor coach.
“At the end of the year, we will be there with the top teams.”
After a successful 2018 season where they finished in the Super League, Perak have hit the skids as they have yet to notch a win in the league.
Two draws and a defeat have got fans talking and the team’s last victory in regulation time was against Sabah (5-0) in the Malaysia Cup first leg semi-final last year.
The Australian said they have been playing good football but have not been deadly in front of goal.
“We started the season by playing Johor Darul Ta’zim and Kedah. In the first game, we lost 0-1 against the league favourites and we had a good game,” he said.
“Against Kedah, we should have won by two or three goals. Against Felda United, we should have scored three or more.
“We just have no luck in front of goal.
“The commitment is there and the players are working hard but the ball doesn’t seem to go in.
“The positives are there but we need to be deadly. As a coach, I believe it (goals) will come.”
The players are itching to score but we need time and patience. This is going to be a long season and we have to stick together. The results will come, trust me.
Mehmet Durakovic
When asked on why strikers like Gilmar Filho and Wander Luiz are misfiring, he said: “These players are professionals. They give their 100 per cent in every game. They did a wonderful job and it is only a matter of time they will deliver.
“The players are itching to score but we need time and patience. This is going to be a long season and we have to stick together. The results will come, trust me.”
Against Terengganu on Saturday at the Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium, Perak might not have the services of injured players Brendan Gan (adductor), Amirul Azhan Aznan (hamstring), Shahrel Fikri (knee), and Nasir Basharuddin (knee).
“I’m not giving excuses, these are facts. Facing Terengganu will be a daunting task without four of our key players,” said Durakovic.
“We are training with what we have but I am confident the boys can play good football on that day and the goals will come.”