Right duration for Durakovic

Time on aussie’s side to sharpen seladang

Perak coach Mehmet Durakovic (pic) reckons he has ample time to whip his players into shape despite the three-month lay-off.

The Seladang held their first training session at the Perak Stadium yesterday and will use the next two-and-a-half months to get ready for the Super League restart on Sept 1.

Perak are currently second behind Johor Darul Ta’zim on eight points after four matches before the league was suspended on March 16.

The Australian said although there are limitations in training due to the Covid-19 pandemic, he is confident his players will be in the right shape and mind for the title assault.

“I think we have enough time to face the tight fixtures which are expected to start in September,” said Durakovic.

“For me, the duration we have to prepare is similar to a pre-season so it’s not a problem. We must use this time frame wisely.

“I believe the players will be able to regain full fitness without any problem despite training under the non-contact rule which is part of the standard operating procedures (SOP) set by the Malaysian Football League (MFL).

“Our training will not be too demanding at the start, we still need to plan as the intensity needs to be increased in stages.”

Durakovic added that he also needs to ensure the players follow the SOPs as it will allow them to get the nod from the MFL to enter phase two of training.

“Currently the players have no major issue with the SOP ... we took their temperature when they entered the stadium, they kept their distance and went straight home after training,” he said.