PETALING JAYA – Selangor FC head coach Tan Cheng Hoe is adamant to develop more young local footballers through the squad.
He said since he took on his role in September last year, he envisioned many achievements for the Red Giants.
“One of my main targets, when I became the head coach (of Selangor FC), is to develop more young and local players.
“I believe that if the players are given the right push and opportunity, they will work hard and perform impressively. They are the future of the Selangor football team.
“This is my challenge. As a coach, I have been tasked with a huge responsibility and I need to produce the best results so we could be in the top spot in the league,” he said.
The former Harimau Malaya head coach was met after a Super League match against Kelantan FC at the MBPJ Stadium in Kelana Jaya here, last night.
During the “Battle of the Reds”, Selangor gave their fans the biggest cheer after they secured a hattrick win, which brought them back to the second spot in the league table with 19 points.
Johor Darul Ta’zim FC remained at the top with a 100% record win so far, amassing 24 points.
Ayron Rodriquez gave Selangor the lead in the 28th minute, followed by the second and third goals by substitute Rauf Salifu in the 80th and 91st minutes, giving no chance for the Red Warriors to do anything.
Despite the impressive move, Tan remained cautious of his squad’s performance.
He wanted his team to improve their attacks, passing, and movements on the field as they still have a long way to go till the end of the season.
The 54-year-old gaffer’s biggest dream is to make Selangor the strongest team in Asia.
“Before I took on this coaching role, I know the fans are longing to see Selangor succeed in the Asian region. My motivation is to see that come true.
“But before we get there, we need to set realistic goals first, what can we achieve within our grasp and what works well for us for the time being.
“Hence, let’s focus on our achievement game by game,” he added.
Meanwhile, newly appointed Kelantan head coach Frank Bernhardt admitted he had been dealt with a difficult situation last night, seeing that he only had three days with the team before the match started.
The German coach was appointed following the suspension of South Korean chief Choi Moon-Sik last week.
“Three (goals) was actually too much on my side, but we just have to deal with it.
“I am sure I can develop this team, but I had not enough preparation time. I only had three days.
“So, it was difficult to get the players to another level,” said the former national U-23 squad chief coach.
Kelantan remained in the 13th spot out of 14 teams with only four points after eight games. – The Vibes, April 10, 2023
