Pahang ready to give jumbo task to Saddil on the left flank

PETALING JAYA: Expect more heat from the left.

The signing of Indonesian left winger Saddil Ramdani is set to add another dimension to Pahang’s attack for the 2019 M-League season.

Head coach Dollah Salleh was in the hunt for a left-footed winger and was impressed with Saddil’s pace and trickery during his time with Persela Lamongan in the Indonesian Liga 1 last season.

Having also featured for Indonesia five times, his abilities were enough to convince Dollah and the management to confirm his signing on his birthday, which fell on Jan 2.

Team manager Datuk Mohammed Suffian Awang said Saddil fitted well with Dollah’s tactical plan and expected him to entertain the fans with his abilities.

“He is fast and has shown excellent skills and strength in the pre-season matches with us. Coach Dollah felt that he was the right man to bolster the flanks,” said Suffian.

“We expect Saddil to give defenders a tough time in the league.”

Saddil and his teammates are currently in Bangkok, Thailand for pre-season preparation. The team have played two games there, losing 3-1 to Visakha FC and winning 2-1 against Chonburi FC.

Suffian said preparation for the season has been good as they have retained most of the local players from last season and needed to add only three more reliable foreigners to help the team achieve their targets.

“The target is to win at least two titles. We want to retain the FA Cup and win either the Malaysia Cup or the Super League.

“The harmony of the team looks good. In Bangkok, we are giving trials to a few foreigners.”

He said the team were currently assessing a French defender and more imports would be in Bangkok to undergo trials with the team as they gear up to face Army United today in a friendly match.