The Malaysia Super League is back! After what appeared to be a monumental hiatus, all the excitement and drama that we usually get from the country’s top league is already underway with Johor DT defeating Pahang to lift the Charity Shield last weekend. And if you thought last year was brilliant, be prepared to watch things escalate to a whole new level this year. With Johor DT pushing forward in their expansion plans, other teams trying to keep up and match the Southern Tigers, and the fiasco involving television rights for the league; there’s so much more to expect this year. That being said, FourthOfficial.com will be unleashing a series of club previews over the next five days and we’ll take a look at all the teams that will be strutting their stuff in the Super League this year. Next on the list is LionsXII!
LIONSXII
Manager: Visakan Subramanian
Head Coach: Fandi Ahmad
SQUAD LIST
GOALKEEPERS: Izwan Mahbud, Khairulhin Khalid, Zharfan Rohaizad
DEFENDERS: Wahyudi Abdul Wahid, Zakir Samsuddin, Fariz Azienuddin, Madhu Mohana, Afiq Yunos, Safuwan Baharuddin, Faritz Hameed, Hafiz Abu Sujad,
MIDFIELDERS: Christopher James, Izzdin Shafiq, Faris Ramli, Isa Halim, Shahdan Sulaiman, Zulfahmi Arifin, Samuel Benjamin, Raihan Abdul Rahman, Firdaus Kasman, Gabriel Quak, Nazrul Nazari
FORWARDS: Sahil Suhaimi, Khairul Amri, Sufian Anuar, Khairul Nizam, Syafiq Zainal
STATS
Malaysia Super League League: 8th
Malaysia FA Cup: 2nd Round
Malaysia Cup: Group Stages
ANALYSIS
It’s hard to digest the fact that LionsXII were the Malaysia Super League champions in 2013 after their frustrating season last year. But that’s the exact volatility that makes the Malaysian football scene exciting; precisely why LionsXII will be fascinating to watch this year. The three key players from their title-winning squad in 2013 are no longer in the team. Shahril Ishak and Baihakki are with Johor DT II, while Safuwan Baharuddin will not be available until April after signing for Melbourne City in the A-League. So in terms of experience, this is a squad that’s relatively short of that.
But most of these players have had experience of doing it on the biggest stage. The likes of Khairul Amri, Madhu Mohana, Isa Halim and Shahdan Sulaiman are all names that consistently feature for the Singaporean national team and they’ve participated in tournaments like the AFF Suzuki Cup, and played under high-octane situations.
But doing well in the Super League, isn’t a matter of confidence though. It’s also a matter of quality. The fine difference between teams that do well and teams that don’t is usually the difference in quality amongst their foreign players. LionsXII though, have a squad that’s entirely local, something that will affect their chances significantly. Why? The top five goal scorers in the MSL last season were foreigners and they netted a collective amount of 53 goals between them. That’s why.
On paper, the odds are certainly stacked against their favour. But as we all know, things can get unpredictable on the pitch. In Fandi, they have a coach that has done it all as a player. If he can get his troops to hit their strides, Singaporean fans could be in for a treat. But if the antithesis of that takes place, and the odds favour it to happen, a relegation battle could be on the cards.
VERDICT: Strugglers
List of Club Previews:
1. Kelantan FA
2. Sarawak FA
3. PDRM FA
4. ATM FA
5. Perak FA
6. Terengganu FA
7. Selangor FA
8. Felda United
9. Sime Darby
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