The last 48 hours have not been easy for Syed Adney, but the Penang goalkeeper is determined to move on and make amends ahead of their clash against Perak this Friday.
Penang fell to a 2-0 defeat against Selangor in their opening MSL fixture last weekend, and Adney was partly at fault for the Red Giants’ second goal, which effectively killed the game. After the match, he was subjected to verbal abuse from Penang fans who were visibly unhappy with the outcome of the match.
Unhappy P Pinang fans abusing Syed Adney verbally pic.twitter.com/p95DppfXWF
— Zulhilmi Zainal (@zulhilmibzainal) January 21, 2017
“To be honest, it was not a nice to see your own fans slate you and react like that, especially after the first game of the season,” Adney told FourthOfficial.com
“But I’m in a new team, which also means new fans and a new atmosphere. So I’ll have to keep fighting and hopefully slowly win back the support from fans. More importantly, I want to give back to the team, coaches and the management,” he added.
With the exception of one blunder, Adney looked relatively assured in between Penang’s sticks. In fact, he made several crucial blocks before and after conceding the second goal – which played a huge part in ensuring the score remained a respectable one. And as far as the Liverpool-born goalie is concerned, it’s important to focus on the positive aspects of his performance, with such a long season ahead.
So a goalkeeper has a blinder and team down 1-0 could be 3-0 if not @SyedAdney blank points saved. Please justify https://t.co/KW8k1uQXN2
— Stanley Bernard (@fusoSTAN) January 21, 2017
“I actually felt I had a really good game, besides the bad kick. A lot of the coaching staff, including Ashley Westwood, spoke to me after the game and they said these things happen. More importantly, they were very positive about my performance on the night.
“I guess as footballers, we have to soak up the pressure and focus on our game. I’m definitely over the first game now. Being positive is the most important thing for a player. The season has just started, and there’s a long way to go for the team,” he added.
This Friday, the Panthers will be playing at home for the first time, though they will be up against a tricky side in the form of Perak. The Bos Gaurus recruited expensively during the off-season, bringing in the likes of Nazrin Nawi, Hafiz Kamal, Shahrom Kalam and even Zaquan Adha.
“Perak look different this year. We know they have quality in their side, but we also have quality in our team. And it’s super important for us to get three points, since it’s a home fixture as well. We’ll definitely be giving it everything we’ve got,” he added.
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