KUALA LUMPUR – Selangor FC head coach Tan Cheng Hoe urged fans not to have overly high expectations of the club’s new signings ahead of the upcoming Malaysia Super League season.
The Red Giants have been on a player-purchasing spree with the signings of three import players, with an approximate total value ranging from RM 500,000 to RM 800,000, according to www.transfermarkt.com.
Defender Umarbek Eshmurodov, who recently excelled for Uzbekistan in the AFC Asian Cup, was signed from his home-based Nasaf Qarshi FC.
Former Chilean national striker Ronnie Fernandez was signed from the Bolivia-based club Club Bolívar FC, while Cape Verdean winger Alvin Fortes was signed from Thailand-based club Nongbua Pitchaya FC.
National U-23 player Azim Al Amin was also recruited to provide more goalkeeping options for Selangor FC.
It is understood that Cheng Hoe has officially commenced training with the players on Monday.
Speaking to Scoop, Cheng Hoe said that he’s delighted to have gotten the signings that he wished for and believes that his players need some time to adapt to his tactics and system.
“I’m excited to work with the new players as we have signed them based on the needs of the team. Last season we were good but we were lacking in several aspects of our game, especially in terms of our attack and defence, and I’m happy that we have found the right players to fill in the gaps.
“I’m very sure that our new signings will perform, but I don’t want to add burden to them and expect them to perform straight away for the team. Everything takes time, and I understand that they need to adapt to the team, my tactics, and the environment of the club.
“I hope the fans can also be patient and not have too many high expectations of them, as football is a team game and we can’t rely on a few individuals to bring the team to glory.
“I’m confident that with these new players on board, we will do better than we did last season,” said Cheng Hoe.
Under Cheng Hoe’s guidance, Selangor FC finished second in the Super League with 61 points and qualified for next season’s AFC Asian Champions League 2 group stage.
This marked the Red Giant’s return to elite Asian football competition since their 2016 AFC Cup outing, in which they failed to advance beyond the group stage.
Cheng Hoe further said that he has not set a target for his charges in the second-tier Asian competition and expects them to approach the tournament with a learning mentality.
“I just want my players to learn as much as they can by playing against some of the best teams in Asia. This will be an extra boost for them, and with the experience they gain, they can apply the knowledge in all the other tournaments that we participate in, including the Super League.
“We are not in a hurry to achieve greater heights in our first attempt. This is going to be a stepping stone for us, and we would love to play in this tournament on a consistent basis in the years to come,” Cheng Hoe added.
AFC Champions League 2 provides a US$8 million (approximately RM 37.74 million) prize for the champions and US$4 million (RM18.8 million) for the runners-up.
The tournament will feature 32 teams divided into eight groups of four. In the group stage, each team will compete in a round-robin home and away format.
The top two teams from each group will then advance to the round of 16. The knockout stage will consist of two-legged ties leading up to the finals, which will be played in a single match. – February 7, 2024