KUALA LUMPUR – Negeri Sembilan FC head coach Azzmi Ab Aziz admits that new signing Takumi Sasaki needs more support and urged all his players to adapt to his system.
The coach’s response followed Negeri Sembilan’s heavy 4-0 defeat to Selangor FC in their FA Cup opener at the MBPJ Stadium last night.
The newly appointed coach, who fielded his team in a 4-4-2 formation, saw his side only manage to threaten their opponents in the first half through Sasaki’s explosive runs and low shots.
The 26-year-old Japanese midfielder, who recently joined the Jangs from Ehime FC in the Japanese league, has shown a tendency to rely on the same moves in his initial matches, primarily making solo bursts with the ball.
“He’s indeed a good player… making explosive runs is definitely a plus point in his gameplay, but he needs to change it as our opponent’s defence can easily read his style.
“No doubt, he’s a player that takes risks for the team by launching most of the attacks for us, but there’s no use in bursting when it doesn’t bring any benefit to the team,” Azzmi said during the post-match conference.
“I will need to have a chat with him regarding this matter, and I believe that he will improve.
“Perhaps he’s still getting used to the landscape of Malaysian football, but I have strong confidence in him and his abilities,” Azzmi added.
He also stressed that Sasaki should not be solely blamed for the team’s poor form, noting that the team needs to support him better on the pitch by creating more space during his runs.
The Jangs experienced their second defeat in a row against the Red Giants this season, after losing to them with the same 4-0 score in a Super League match on May 27.
“Yes, I do agree that Takumi has to change his gameplay, but his teammates should also provide him with what he needs by creating more spaces when he runs with the ball.
“The problem is they don’t tend to do that, and that is the root of most of our attacking problems.
“Not only Takumi, but we also tend to fumble in general because of individual errors, and this is something that I’m not satisfied with. We have been too soft and have been giving our opponents too many silly chances.
“This is something that we all need to work on as a unit if we hope to have a decent season,” Azzmi said.
The 49-year-old coach, who played for Selangor in the 1990s, replaced K. Devan as Negeri Sembilan’s head coach after the latter’s contract expired in December last year.
For the record, Negeri Sembilan has won the FA Cup twice (2003 and 2010) in their 101-year history.
In the Super League table, the Jangs currently rank bottom (13th) with zero points from two games. – June 16, 2024