KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 2 – Ambitious Terengganu FC has added more quality to its squad for the new Malaysian League season with former Australian international, Christopher Gerd joining the Turtles.
More importantly, the East Coast hopefuls are also beefing up their squad for their AFC Cup campaign.
Terengganu will join Kedah for Malaysia’s challenge in the AFC Cup. Seven-time Super League champions Johor Darul Takzim are in the AFC Champions League.
The 1.73 meters tall Herd joins Namibian Petrus Shitembi who played for Sabah last season, Filipino Carli de Murga, and Brazilian David da Silva – the man who replaces Mauritina hitman Dominique Da Silva as the hitman.
Murga fills up the Asean quota vacated by Singapore international Faris Ramli.
Terengganu coach Nafuzi Zain wants quality in the team after Terengganu FC was picked for the AFC Cup slot when the Malaysia Cup competition was canceled at the quarter-final stage due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the past, the Malaysia Cup champions are Malaysia’s second AFC Cup representative.
Nafuzi, who was one of those nominated for the Best Coach of the Year in the recent National Football Awards 2020, has been retained for the new season but he is left with a mammoth task for the new season after losing influential skipper Lee Tuck.
However, the former international has not let the setbacks stand in the way to rebuild the Turtles into a force.
The new signings have given him and the team hope. Shitembi was a hit with Sabah and the nimble-footed former Namibian international earned a nickname – ”Dancing Shoes”. Nafuzi is hoping that Shitembi and his dancing shoes will win over the Terengganu fans with his brand of football.
This year’s M-League kicks off with the Charity Shield match between JDT and Kedah. The curtain raiser will be played at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri, Johor Bahru on Feb 26.
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