S’wak look to Salibasic, Bobby and Kalang for Super League promotion tilt
KUCHING: The return of Bosnia’s Muamer Salibasic and Malaysia’s Bobby Gonzalez to Sarawakis without a shadow of a doubt a huge boost to Malaysian Premier League side Sarawak.
Both are past their prime but they still have a lot to offer to the 2013 champions in terms of experience and leadership.
Salibasic, a left winger who can operate as a centre forward, is looking very likely to be tasked with pulling the strings in midfield as a playmaker this season.
Former Sarawak boss Robert Alberts signed him in the unforgettable 2013 challenge that led to silverware, and is known for his spectacular goals from long range.
The 34-year-old from Bosnia’s third largest city Tuzla, was brought in to replace Croatian striker Ivan Babic and impressed Alberts with his technical skills and physical strength as well as his footballing brain.
Sarawak had him on their payroll despite him being injured as his qualities would come in handy upon returning to full fitness.
He even turned down an offer from Super League giants Kedah but his injury was most likely prolonged by his off-season indulgence in kick-boxing.
Sarawak have failed to find another player of Salibasic’s calibre when he left in 2015 after making 48 appearances and scoring 25 goals.
His on-field vision should be just the thing the 1992 FA Cup winners need to win promotion to the top tier Super League.
Bobby, another prolific signing for Sarawak, makes his welcome return to state shores where he scored 16 league goals in 2011 and 21 in 2013.
The Sabahan has been capped three times by the national side and he will be another player Sarawak are pinning their hopes on.
Centre-forward Bobby can play as a second striker and counts the likes of Perak, Sabah, DPMM FC and 2018 Premier League champions Felda United FC as his former clubs.
Another fan favourite back with Sarawak is former skipper Joseph Kalang Tie, who turned out in the red and black colours in the 2006-2007 and 2012-2015 seasons.
He has played as an attacking midfielder and winger but a partnership with Salibasic in central midfield would be a dream pairing.
Kalang, a technically gifted player, has played for the likes of Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor.
He, along with Bobby and Salibasic, will form the spine of the Sarawak side hungry for silverware and promotion to the Super League.
Sarawak also need a good coach and in Farhan Abdullah, they have just that.
Farhan, who served as assistant coach under Dutchman Alberts, will have former Sarawak tactician David Usop in his corner.
Farhan should be well versed in the modern game with its high intensity training, good man management skills, tactical and technical acumen and of course he must have qualities on the pitch.
All good coaches also need to plan and that includes pre-season training, ability to know the market and good relationship with the bosses and sponsors.
Alberts, who left Sarawak in his third stint in 2016, was a multi-title winning coach in three different countries, was instrumental in saving Sarawak from the lower leagues twice by winning them promotion.
He, Australian Alan Vest and Sarawak old boy JalilRamli are the coaches who managed to win Sarawak promotion from the lower tier.
Sarawak will be depending more on local talents and foreign to spearhead their campaign for promotion this season as there are no peninsular-based players on their payroll.
Only time will tell whether this is a mistake or not but the return of key men such as Salibasic, Bobby and Kalang should at least spur them on to honours.
After all, they were known as The Invincibles in 2013 having won promotion to the Super League without losing a single match.
