* Sarawak need to check the slide into relegation zone
While much has been said about the bottom two – Sime Darby and Armed Forces. But Sarawak are in a no better position after having slowly slid into the relegation zone after their 1-0 defeat to Lions XII at the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore last week.
The East Malaysian side will need to “wake up from their slumber” and the battle starts with Saturday’s home match against a rejuvenated Kelantan under new head coach Azraai Khor Abdullah who believes he has found the right foreign players to get the Red Warriors on track in all competition.
Nigerian Austin Amutu and Brazilian Gilmar Filho together with Colombian striker Erwin Carillo and Australian defender Jonathan McKain who have been retained – Kelantan are still “alive” in all competitions in the M-League.
And the Red Warriors are already in Kuching – after having arrived on Thursday on a direct flight from Kota Bahru.
Azraai is hoping that his team will “keep the momentum” after their emphatic 2-1 win over Selangor at home last week – a much needed win to keep the adrenalin flowing after a series of poor results at home including a demoralising 4-0 defeat to Police and Felda United (1-0) under Dutchman George Boateng.
“It was a win Kelantan needed to give themselves hope and this they did in style as Selangor went into the match as (Super League) leaders,” said Azraai from Kuching.
But in the same breath Azraai, is quick to drive home a strong message – “There is is still a lot of holes in all departments which we need to plug. We cannot be complacent with the win over Selangor.
“Playing Sarawak in Kuching is never easy and we have to be prepared the backlash from Sarawak after the defeat in Singapore.”
Who will win the battle in Kuching? Will be it joy for Azraai or Sarawak’s long serving coach Robert Alberts, who has battled a spate of injuries to his key players and suspensions.
