KUCHING: Sarawak have bounced back from their defeat to Kelantan in the FA Cup quarterfinals and will meet Perlis for the Premier League tonight with new Bosnian player Muamar Silabasic in their line-up.
The Sarawak FA who had given up all hopes on him due to his inability to get his ITC (International Transfer Certificate) was given a pleasant surprise when he was able to contact his Bosnian FA where he last played and able to get the paperwork done.
Sarawak coach Robert Alberts was very happy the player, who had the qualities he had looked for, could make it to the team.
“We have let Ivan Babic go on mutual agreement and he had taken it well as a professional.
“Not that Ivan can’t play as he had played well for us, including scoring the goals but we need a stronger and more composed player.
“We wish to thank him for the services he provided by doing a good job while he was with us.
“As for Muamar (Silabasic) we had given him up as we couldn’t get the ITC.
“But he really wants to play for us even though Kedah made a bid for him and he tried to call the Bosnian FA who had his ITC as he preferred to play for Sarawak as he likes the environment here.
“Muamar can supply the goals and score himself and with him on deck I have the attacking options and may play three upfront.
“It will likely be Bobby (Gonzalez), Azizan (Baba) and Muamar with Joseph (Kalang Tie) pushed to the right flank or play him as a back-up striker or attacking striker.
“With Muamar in the team he can hold the ball in midfield.
“Against Perlis who are a strong team technically, we need to score goals and will play the way in attack to get the goals but not play in a way to chase goals.
“We really need to score goals as we want to reduce the goal difference with Sime Darby who have plenty of goals ahead of us,” said Alberts after the final training session at the State Stadium yesterday.With Muamar in the squad, the team are somewhat tempered by the absence of their midfield workhorse Guy Bwele who is suspended for the match on four yellow cards.
As for the other new player in Junior Eld’stal, Alberts said he is still not ready to start but he is slowly getting there as the coach is building him for the battles ahead,
The Dutch coach also said Mafry Balang will be back from suspension and his absence in the last match against Kelantan was in no way the key to Sarawak’s defeat.
He said the fact that Sarawak could score three goals which were disallowed showed they were on the right track in their progress but their defensive lapses were more due to the fact that they want to take out the Kelantan dangerman and prolific scorer No. 13 with key defender Ramesh Lai doing a shackling job on him.
Source: New Sarawak Tribune
