KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 6 – After a memorable debut in the elite Super League last season with a sixth-place finish UiTM FC has fired an early salvo that the rookie team is ready to make its presence felt in the new M-League season.
Nicknamed “The Lion Troops”, the Shah Alam based outfit scored stunning wins over some of the big names in Malaysian football including Pahang (1-0), Terengganu (2-1) and drew 1-1 against Kedah and 3-3 against Selangor.
In the Malaysia Cup competition, they beat Kelantan 3-2 in the first round to earn a quarter-final tie against Premier League champions Penang before it was called off due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
UiTM FC’s Prof Dr. Azizan Abdullah while praising the team for the “encouraging results” last season warned rivals that there is more to come from the Lion Troops this year where a lofty target has been set.
”We are looking at a top-three finish this season and also set eyes on winning one of the Cups (Malaysia Cup and the FA Cup) although there has been a movement of players,” he said.
”We had a good season last year and gave a good account of ourselves. The big names in the M-League do not fear us and we are ready to face them again without fear. I have faith and confidence in the team that we can do better this year.”
UiTM FC’s German coach Frank Bernhardt will have four new faces in the foreign quota with only influential skipper Victor Nirennold available this season.
The French defender canceled his earlier plans to move to another team when Bernardt voiced his intentions to accept a new offer from elsewhere.
The Lion Troops have signed up Croatian goalkeeper Dominic Picak, strikers Abou Bakr Al-Mel (Lebanon) and Nana Poku (Ghana), and playmaker Adam Michel (Philippines). Abou Bakr played for Kelantan and Adam for Pahang last season.
However, Bernhardt is staying put with the university team and so is Nirennold who was eyed by several teams in the M-League.
”I am once again counting on total commitment and self-discipline from my players for the new season. We will go about our preparations knowing that we will have to up the ante for a tougher season,” said Bernhardt.
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