# Champions JDT could go out in the second round
# Last year’s runners-up PKNS FC could suffer the same fate
By Rizal Abdullah
Defending champions Johor Darul Takzim (JDT) and last season’s runners-up PKNS FC could be second round casualties in next year’s FA Cup which begins in February.
With all the Super League and Premier League teams getting byes in the first round, Super League champions JDT were drawn to meet Super League runners-up Felda United in the second round.
The luck of the draw also pits Premier League champions Malacca will face Premier League runners-up PKNS FC in the second round. Both teams will ply their trade in the elite Super League in the new season.
With a big movement of players with several big names switching teams the FA Cup will be a much watched tournament as it will give an inkling how the teams will fare in the knockout tournament.
The FA Cup is also the passport to make the grade to the AFC Cup. Incidentally the Southern Tigers, as JDT are known, and Felda United will be Malaysia’s flag bearers in the new format AFC Cup.
Putting that aside, despite the participation of big guns like Selangor and Kelantan, together with Premier League’s Perlis in the limbo due to financial constraints there is every possibility a new name could be engraved as 2017 FA Cup champions.
Pahang, who narrowly avoided relegation to the second-tier Premier League, have wasted no time to beef up their squad and have brought back their former coach Dollah Salleh who won the Malaysia Cup for the Elephants in 2013.
Weakened when several of their big names left for greener pastures, including skipper Razman Roslan and dead ball specialist Hafiz Kamal and one-time international goalkeeper Khairul Azhan, the East Coast giants are back in the fray as frontrunners next season.
Pahang will travel to Pasir Gudang to face Johor Darul Takzim II (JDT II) in the second round while former champions Kelantan were drawn to meet PKNP. Malaysia Cup champions Kedah will be up against city boys Kuala Lumpur.
Selangor, hogging the limelight for the wrong reasons – thanks to the infighting in the association and no funds to maintain the team and threats to withdraw from the M-League, were drawn against neighbours Negri Sembilan at home.
Perak, with new signings and under the wily German coach Karl Heinz Weigang taking over the reins as the head coach, will face Malaysia Malays Football Club in their opening match on Feb 14.
