Sarawak Shot Down By Army

BY JEREMY VENO, easterntimes

KUCHING: Excuses are getting obsolete, echoed fans after the final whistle of a horrendous performance by the State team when they were thrashed 3-0 by ATM at the Sarawak Stadium, here, on Friday night.

Sounds of frustrations can be heard as spectators left the stadium, each vowing under their breathe not to return to watch the next match to avoid disappointment.

Recording their third loss after five matches, Sarawak now sit second bottom of the 13-team table with two points - a far cry from the maximum 15 points that the team can get.

It is high time for the Football Association of Sarawak (FAS) to take a step back and avoid making “creative” excuses on the team’s dismal performance as the unavoidable bitter pill needs to be swallowed.

The meagre points through the goalless opening match against PDRM and the 1-1 draw against Selangor PKNS are nothing to shout about as the team only scored two goals and conceded nine. They lost 1-4 to KL Felda United and 1-2 to Harimau Muda.

Zaki Laments Players ‘Bad Habits’

By Martin Yee, Easterntimes

KUCHING: Coach Zaki Sheikh Ahmad is not happy with the Sarawak players repeating their “bad habits” which cost them to pay heavily as they had yet to win after four matches including the last away match to Harimau Muda where they lost 0-1.

The main problem with the team is that they lost patience and discipline by making mistakes which cost them and the team dearly.

The red card awarded to centreback Fadley Kassim with only five minutes remaining in the game was a case in point as the team will lose the key defender for the next two matches due to automatic suspension.

“The players are not patient. They easily lose their concentration and focus even if there are a few minutes left in the game and they should be more patient to hold on to the game.

“Though their weaknesses is failure to convert the chances, they have to keep on trying and play hard. The goals will come if they keep on doing their best,” said Zaki.

Hartlepool stint for Sarawak trio

New Straits Times, Oct 22, 2008 | by Nancy Nais

THREE Sarawak players have been selected to undergo a two-month training stint with the English Division One football club Hartlepool.

State Social Development and Urbanisation Minister, Datuk Seri Willam Mawan Ikom said the trio - Mohd Shahrol Shaperi, 24, Joseph Kalang Tie, 21, and Zamri Morshidi, 25 - will leave on Oct 28.

Proud of the players, Mawan said he hoped they will use this opportunity to improve, and on their return, impart their knowledge to other local players.

"More importantly, they can help to revive Sarawak's past glory in football," Mawan said at a press conference yesterday.

Meanwhile, Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) technical director Robert Alberts is tipped to become Sarawak's new head coach.