PETALING JAYA, Nov 21 – He was handpicked and promised great things for Selangor football but the Red Giants could only finish fifth in the Super League and flopped at the quarter-final stage in the prestigious Malaysia Cup which brought to end their ”Mission 34”.
For the record Selangor have won the Malaysia Cup (which is celebrating its 100th Anniversary this year) for a record 33 times and were highly touted as favourites with the silverware through their German DNA.
The Red Giants last won the Malaysia Cup in 2015 with a 2-0 win over Kedah in the final played at the Shah Alam Stadium.
The year 2021 is best termed as ”disaster” for Selangor football. With that come news that Karsten Neitzel’s reign as the head coach of the Red Giants came to an end on Saturday as announced by Selangor Chief Executive Officer Dr. Johan Kamal Hamidon in a statement.
Neitzen was handpicked and strongly recommended to take over the reins from countryman Michael Feichentenbeiner, who was the caretaker coach after B. Satianathan had his services terminated.
In a bizarre twist, the German story does not end here. Instead, Feichentenbeiner takes over as Selangor’s head coach for the new season.
As for Neitzel, who has a contract with the Red Giants that runs through next season, he is earmarked as the new coach of the Selangor feeder team or become the assistant coach to Feichentenbeiner.
It is left to be seen if this will work out – as one German is promoted and one German demoted.
While one German celebrates another is probably drowning his sorrows in a newly minted German brew.
The latest German story in Selangor is set to raise eye brows. What happens next is left to be seen as like many other teams there are ”hidden hands” who have the power to sway things their way to make money.
For the players it is a testing time for them. Whether they stay or leave for other teams – will very much depend who gets the thumbs up from the German DNA and whose camp they are in. Survival has become a ”political game” for many.
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