Nidzam: Fighters can reach top three in the league
Felda United are riding high on confidence ahead of the Super League.
After living up to their Fighters nickname to avoid relegation by finishing 10th last season, they are now looking with renewed vigour to finish at least in the top five.
In fact, coach Nidzam Jamil believes they may even reach the top three now that the league has been reduced to just one round instead of two and with only seven matches left to play. Felda are in fifth spot with five points. Malaysia’s Covid-19 disrupted football season could resume in August if the government allows it.
Nidzam said their confidence stemmed from a positive training environment.
“In football, a good team is a happy team. For me, trust is essential in the game. Players need someone who can convince them that they can defy the odds and be the best,” said Nidzam.
“In every team, you need characters, and I am glad that we have some people who are always looking out for the best interests of the club.
“Also, the foreign players have helped me a lot to convince the young ones that they can succeed in the league.
“Felda do not have strength in depth so we try to add philosophy to our training sessions. And I believe it is working. The players believe in each other and I believe in them and this attitude will take the team far.
“Even if you go to a mountain just with slippers, you can still scale it because of your team. That is how close-knitted we are at the moment,” said Nidzam.
For now, the players are working hard even though all professional teams are only allowed to have 10 players for a session and train for only 45 minutes.
Nidzam said the players have adapted to the standard operating procedures and his coaching staff had come out with innovative training methods suitable to the regulations set by the Malaysian Football League (MFL).
“Football without contact is impossible but the training for now, I would say, is fun and challenging. For example, we are doing transition training, where you have to adapt to attacking and defending tactics quickly.
“Players have to use their mind instead of their strength.
“Yes, we missed the rondos (a drill where one group of players is tasked with keeping possession of the ball while completing a series of passes, while a smaller group of players, sometimes a single player, tries to take possession), the tackles and so on, but we have to be imaginative.
“It took quite a while for the lads to adapt to the new normal but spirits are still high.”