KUCHING: Being labelled as a young and inexperienced team is no reason for Sarawak to be intimidated in the Premier League this season.
For Sarawak’s captain Bobby Gonzales, 35, Sarawak’s 2019 line-up, who are largely between 19 and 21 years old, need to rise to the occasion like their predecessors in the Ngap Sayot days.
His message to the Sarawak players is: “Stay focused, do not give up easily … have a fierce fighting spirit and a strong desire to win.”
Sarawak will be playing against Negeri Sembilan in the first leg of the 2019 Premier League at the Tunku Abdul Rahmain Stadium in Paroi today (8.45pm).
Bobby, who scored 23 goals for Sarawak in 2013, realised his job with Muamer Salibasic as the team’s twin strikers is quite challenging this season.
They were Sarawak’s goal-scoring machines in the 2013 season … with 42 goals between them.
“The 2013 season is now long over, it is already history, we must look to the future now,” Bobby said adding that he and Salibasic have a very good understanding of each other although they have not been playing together for the last five years.
What is certain to the Sarawak squad is that it is very familiar with the name “Bobby” as it previously had Bobby Pian (centre forward) and Bobby Chua (defender) playing for the team during the period1994 to 2006.
Bobby Pian, a Sarawakian from Kuala Baram was also a former national team captain from 1999 to 2001
Bobby Chua and Bobby Gonzales are from Sabah.
Meanwhile, Sarawak’s coach Farhan Abdullah, 50, does not dare to put high hopes on his boys to impress in the Premier League’s 2019 season.
He will be more than happy to see his squad remains competitive for the 2020 Premier League.
If the team is able to move to the Super League … it will be a big bonus for him, according to the pragmatic coach from Bintulu.
