KUALA LUMPUR – Penang head coach Akmal Rizal believes that his side will not face any issues in their Super League campaign despite losing several stalwarts to Harimau Malaya duties.
Three players from the squad – Sikh Izhan, Syamer Kutty Abba, and Adib Ra’op – have been chosen by national head coach Kim Pan-gon for the national training camp for the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.
The north-west club, affectionately known as the Black Panthers by fans, went through back-to-back disappointing campaigns in the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 seasons.
Speaking to Scoop, Akmal said he was confident that the young players brought into the team from the under-23 squad would carry on the duties in the absence of his key players.
For the record, Akmal has brought in a total of eight players from the U23 squad into his starting eleven in his opening three games in charge of this season’s Super League campaign.
The 42-year-old Akmal, a former national footballer, assumed the head coach role in January of this year after serving as the club’s assistant and U21 coach from 2020 to early this year.
“There won’t be any issue for our club as our squad depth is solid, and we have the right amount of players in both the first team and the U23 team. Since the day I came on board, I have always given importance to the youngsters and will continue to do so during their absence.
“I’m really happy for Sikh, Syamer and Adib, and I wish them luck. They can easily adapt to the system of our team once they are back from their international duties, as they know the DNA of our team very well.
“I’m also hoping they return from their duties without any injuries. Alhamdulillah, so far we don’t have any injuries in our club. Even if they get injured, it won’t be an issue for me, as I will bring in more youngsters to fill their shoes.
“I have already introduced eight youngsters in the starting eleven, and we are already on the right track in the Super League. Hence, I won’t have any issues bringing in three more players if Sikh, Syamer and Adib get injured,” said Akmal when contacted.
At the same time, Akmal also expects the called-up trio to share their international experience with the young players in the squad, serving as role models for them to follow in the years to come.
“The youngsters in the team are eager to learn every day; hence it will be great for the boys if Sikh, Syamer and Adib can share their experiences with them.
“I also hope that with the experiences Sikh, Syamer and Adib gain from the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, they can use that to strengthen our team better for this season’s Super League campaign,” Akmal added.
Penang have won the league three times (1982, 1998 and 2001), the FA Cup once (2002), and the Malaysia Cup four times (1953, 1954, 1958 and 1974).
The Black Panthers currently rank seventh in the Super League table with three points (three draws) from three games. – June 5, 2024