Dollah Salleh is a man on a key mission.
Just a couple of months ago, he was one of the most hated individuals in Malaysian football as he was made a scapegoat for the national team’s 10-0 defeat against UAE.
The defeat was a culmination of what has been a frustrating 2015 for the ex-Pahang head coach as the Malayan Tigers failed to win a single game under his tutelage this year. So when the UAE defeat was heralded upon him and his men, his decision to quit was rather inevitable and expected.
Since then, he’s gone really underground, keeping himself away from any spotlight or media coverage. In fact, there was a point when he even suggested the idea of completely retiring from the world of football.
It’s fathomably difficult to move away from football, once you’ve bitten the bug. And Dollah’s credentials prior to his Malaysian NT stint – which is rather impressive – always meant that new offers would be coming in at some point. Soon enough, an offer from Perlis came into the picture, and Dollah jumped at the opportunity.
But this isn’t just a new job. This is an opportunity to redeem himself. It’s an opportunity to leave no stones unturned, for once. It’s an opportunity to show that the Malaysian NT stint was a mere flak is a career that has seen other forms of successes.
And he is well underway, as far as the mission is concerned. Without attracting much attention, Dollah is silently building a minor kingdom of his own, down south. Perlis, who were once major superpowers in Malaysian football, have already secured the signature of Afif Amiruddin and Mohamadou Sumareh from PDRM, coupled with the arrival of Obinna Nwaneri as well as Edward Wilson Junior.
These are players who have made an impact within the Super League, and can be considered heavyweights, to a certain extent. Mohamadou Sumareh was incredibly impressive in the first half of last season, playing an influential role within Azman Adnan’s set-up at PDRM. Afif Amiruddin too, is a towering center-back with a defensive swagger in him.
But of course, a team isn’t only about individuals within it. It’s beyond that. It’s about fostering a team spirit, that’ll help the team survive the gruelling schedule of Malaysian football, without getting your team spirit altered. Doing this is one thing – doing it under the guidance of a head coach whose reputation has been damaged over the past few months, is a complete different thing. Afif Amiruddin though, begs to differ.
“Though our time in the national team ended in a disappointing manner, but I still consider him to be one of the best coaches within the country,” he was quoted as saying by Harian Metro.
“In fact, I look up to him as a mentor and would love to continue learning under his guidance. That was why I did not hesitate when he asked me to join Perlis. I’m happy to have accepted the offer.
“Also consider the fact that three experienced foreigners in the form of Obinna, Edward Wilson and Sumareh will be joining us. They are going to be very important for us, next season.
It won’t be easy for Dollah. The Premier League can be extremely competitive and it will be far more competitive next year. JDT II have improved their squad by appointing a new head coach, Negeri Sembilan will be looking to end their Super League hiatus while T-Team are also going gung-ho with newly-appointed head coach, Rahmat Darmawan.
But hey, we’ve got a man on a mission. And he doesn’t look interested in aborting it any time soon. “Up ahead in the distance, he saw a shimmering light.” He’s probably got Hotel California playing on his stereo, at this juncture.
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