New Kuala Lumpur FA boss Nidzam Adzha wants to avoid becoming club’s next coaching casualty

BY        ZULHILMI ZAINAL       Follow on Twitter

Having been appointed as Kuala Lumpur (KL) head coach for the 2020 season, Nidzam Adzha Yusof is determined to avoid becoming the next ‘victim’ of the City Boys’ coaching merry-go-round.

In 2019, they went through three head coaches; Yusri Che Lah, Chong Yee Fatt and Rosle Md Derus and it was still for naught. They ended the season in last place of the Super League, relegated, before failing to reach the Challenge Cup knockout stages.

But things are different with the City Boys ahead of the 2020 season; chiefly with the election of Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad as the association president, and Nidzam, who previously worked mostly as an assistant head coach, will want to meet the objective set by Khalid for his charges; to win a quick promotion, in order to avoid the fate that has befallen his predecessors.

Speaking to the press in a contract signing ceremony on Wednesday, Nidzam acknowledged what might entail for him, but expressed his confidence in being able to lead the team to the promised land.

“I am not entirely sure of what happened to KL in 2019, but any coach including myself hope to end the season at the same the team.

“That’s my personal motivation in trying to fulfil the president’s request, while he also said that he does not intend to change head coaches mid-way through the season,” noted the former Malaysia international.

Asked about his squad, Nidzam replied that they are in the midst of trialling two foreign players.

They have retained veteran forward Indra Putra Mahayuddin, while signing Shukor Adan, Akram Mahinan, Zamir Selamat and Subramaniam Sooryapparad, among many other local players.

Brazilian midfielder Paulo Josue is the only foreign player retained and has been appointed team captain, while Kyrgyzstan defender Azamat Baimatov has been signed.

“We need two more foreign strikers and we are trying out two such players. This Friday we will play UiTM FC in Shah Alam (in a pre-season friendly) before deciding on them.

“One player is from France and the other is Ivorian (and former Melaka United player) Davy Claude Angan,” he revealed.

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