Penang coming out from the shadows with help from Croats

PETALING JAYA: There are signs of a football revival up north.

Penang’s Super League campaign has enjoyed an upturn in their fortunes since the appointment of Croatians Bojan Hodak and Nenad Bacina as the team’s chief executive officer and chief coach last month.

Together with mid-season signings of two influential players – South Korean midfielder Jeong Seok-min and Nigerian striker Ranti Martin – the Islanders have chalked up an impressive seven points from their last three matches. That has lifted them up one spot from the bottom of the 12-team standings (seven points) to 11th (14 points).

The Panthers beat Terengganu FC II 4-3, held Malaysia Cup champions Selangor 1-1 and edged Kedah 3-2 at home. This was far better compared to their dismal start, when they went 10 matches without a win in the first half of the season.

Hodak is counting on his team to ride on their momentum when they take on Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) at the City Stadium in George Town today.

“I think there’s no need to motivate my players. We are 11th and they are at the top. We have nothing to lose and will play without any pressure. The last three matches have worked well for us,” said Hodak, a former JDT coach in 2014.

“Of course, I know my previous team well. They need no introduction because they can even afford to have national players on the bench. I expect a full house and we can try to make things difficult for them,” said Hodak.

Penang’s other imports are Brazilian defender Reinaldo Lobo and Argentine midfielder Matias Cordoba.

The Southern Tigers will be hoping to put behind their debacle after losing 3-0 to Perak in a Malaysia Cup Group C match at the Perak Stadium in Ipoh last week. Though unbeaten in the Super League in 15 matches, the loss to Perak was their second in their Malaysia Cup Group C campaign.