KUALA LUMPUR – Selangor FC head coach Nidzam Jamil has urged his centre-backs to stay sharp and avoid putting the team at risk with reckless tackles.
The 45-year-old’s comments come after his side suffered a 3-2 defeat to Terengganu FC in the FA Cup semi-final first-leg match at the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium on Friday.
Terengganu scored through Safawi Rasid (30th minute), Nurillo Tukhtasinov (35th), and Ismahil Akinade (70th), while Selangor replied with goals from Alvin Fortes (39th) and Noor Al Deen Mahmoud Ali Al Rawabdeh (48th).
Speaking to Scoop, Nidzam said the reckless tackles from his centre-backs, including by team captain Safuwan Baharudin, stem from their inability to read the game effectively.
“We need to be in better positions. When we tackle a player, it means we are already out of position.
“My advice, not only for Safuwan but for all the centre-backs, is to ensure we are always in a good position before making our tackles.
“Most importantly, we need to read the game better. Players like Safuwan and the other centre-backs should be doing this better, as they are defenders,” he said when contacted.
Safuwan, who joined the Red Giants in 2019, has made 230 career appearances with the Young Lions, Melbourne City, Polis Diraja Malaysia FC, Sri Pahang FC, and Negeri Sembilan FC.
The 32-year-old versatile defender has also earned 113 international caps for Singapore, scoring 13 goals.
Nidzam said he will address his centre-backs’ game-reading skills and tackling accuracy in the next training session as he prepares his team for the second leg of the tie on August 3 at MBPJ Stadium.
“If they don’t improve their game-reading skills, we will end up making more tackles, which will be detrimental to our team in the upcoming matches.
“Tackling is an art, and in defending, it’s not wrong, but our tackles need to be accurate.
“This is something I will address in our next training session,” Nidzam said.
For the record, the Red Giants have won the FA Cup five times (1991, 1997, 2001, 2005, and 2009) in their 119-year history. – July 22, 2024