KUCHING: Kuching FA squad will fly to Johor to hold two friendly matches as the final preparation to face the FAM Cup 2018 campaign. They will play against Johor Darul Ta’azim (JDT) II and JDT III in an effort to gauge the capabilities of players listed in the new-look squad for the FAM Cup 2018 campaign.
Assistant manager, Iswandi Ali Hassan, said the first warm-up session for Kuching FA is against JDT II on January 20 and followed by second friendly match against JDT III a day later, on January 21.
“We are going to Johor for two friendships and it is a real benchmark for assessing the players’ abilities,” Iswandi said. The Kuching FA squad this season are strengthened with a total of 24 players with eight new faces featured and led by former Sarawak defender Izray Iffarul Roslan and Sahran Abdul Samad.
Some former players from the President Cup squad as well as some of the young stars who have been identified during the Sarawak Cup 2017 campaign and who joined the recent selection sessions also joined the team. The players are Muhd Nur Aliff Kefli, Muhd Yazid Ahzhar, Muhd Nur Hidayat Zawawi, Samsu Alam Abdul Samad, Mohd Zainuddin Bohri and Hafiezulhisyam Roslee.
Meanwhile, last season’s retained players are Mohd Saiful Kamel, Awang Mohd Tarmizi Awang Mahdini, Mohd Fareez Tukijo, Mohd Zulfika Mustafa, Mohd Ariff Azizan Ederis, Remenor Pit, Rafiezan Razali, Yusman Mohamad, Ahmad Shakri Tuah, Raziman Razali, Mohd Shahfitri Abdul Salim, Mohd Asrullah Drahman, Zulmizan Bujang, Ismail Bujang and Sufizal Ismail. According to Iswandi, his squad see the need for the two friendships so that he can draft a more orderly plan.
“From the results we get at the two friendly games we will at least be able to identify weaknesses in the team. “At the same time, we can approach the team coach (Shahrizan Sahari) to streamline the ranks,” Iswandi added.
