KUALA LUMPUR – Kuala Lumpur City FC head coach Miroslav Kuljanac is hopeful that Brendan Gan and Paulo Josue will return unscathed from their international duties with Harimau Malaya.
The veteran duo, both 35 years old, joined national head coach Kim Pan-gon’s national training camp for the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, alongside compatriots Haqimi Azim, Declan Lambert, Zhafri Yahya, and Azri Ghani.
For context, KL City has been plagued by injuries since the start of their Super League campaign, with key players Kamal Azizi, Anwar Ibrahim, and Giancarlo Gallifuoco potentially sidelined for several weeks after their opener against Kuching City on May 12.
Speaking to Scoop, Kuljanac stressed the importance of Brendan and Paulo to the team and expressed concerns over their fitness upon returning.
“Both of them have been my most important players since I became the head coach, and I’m just worried about whether they will stay fit once they return from their international duties. At their age, it’s going to be tough for them to balance international and club football matches.
“I’m happy they have the opportunity to represent the national team, but I also need to be concerned about my squad depth for the rest of our Super League campaign.
“Not only both of them, but I’ll also monitor the rest of my players called up for the national team to ensure they’re in good condition.
“Hopefully, everything goes well for us after the international break, and I will have no choice but to rotate the young players that I have in my team if the injury list keeps increasing,” said Kuljanac when contacted.
Kuljanac also noted the progress of some injured players, expressing hope they will be match-fit for their FA Cup opener against Kuching City on June 13.
“Giancarlo and Anwar are back on track with training, and Lazar Sajcic joined us for light training last week. Next week will be decisive as I review the medical reports before starting full, intense training sessions.
“It was very tough and challenging for me, having just a few months in this job. My players’ injuries are out of my control, but I just hope that this issue will come to an end in the days to come,” Kuljanac added.
The City Boys suffered a 5-1 defeat in their latest Super League match against Johor Darul Ta’zim on May 25, with their sole goal coming from a Paulo penalty.
KL City currently ranks 10th in the Super League table with one point from two games. – June 2, 2024