SEREMBAN, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- Negeri Sembilan FC (NSFC) are targeting a top-five finish in the Super League this season, in seeking to improve on their seventh-place finish last season.
NSFC chairman Datuk Ismail Lasim said the target was driven by the new spirit and determination brought by the management and coaching staff in their efforts to improve the team’s performance.
However, he said it was still too early to assess the capabilities of the new-look Hobin Jang Hobin squad, adding that the most important thing was to ensure the team could deliver consistent and competitive performances in every match.
“As I said briefly in my speech earlier, the club needs strong finances within the association... we want to retain good players.
“Besides that, the team needs to work and play as a unit... I do not want conflicts within the team, so there must be good cooperation,” he told reporters after attending the Negeri Sembilan Football Day here today.
The event also saw the introduction of the NSFC squad for this season, including new Spanish head coach Daniel Gimenez Alcaniz.
The foreign players who will strengthen the team include Park Yi-Young of South Korea, four Japanese players -- Takumi Sasaki, Kei Oshiro, Yuichi Hirano and Mio Tsuneyasu -- as well as Jovan Motika of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Menteri Besar also hoped that Negeri Sembilan supporters would continue to fill the stadium to spur the team on throughout the season.
Meanwhile, Ismail said the early Super League schedule, which includes several matches being played in the afternoon, was also among the challenges that needed attention, particularly in terms of player fitness and team management.
“I am also concerned about players having to play in the afternoon because there are many challenges, especially when people are returning from work and the weather is getting hotter,” he said.
-- BERNAMA