Rabu, 26 Oktober 2011

The Star Online: Sports


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The Star Online: Sports


Ismail willing to sacrifice for good of the team

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 04:54 PM PDT

KUALA TERENGGANU: Terengganu's Ismail Faruqi is prepared to start from the bench in the Malaysia Cup final against Negri Sembilan at the Shah Alam Stadium on Saturday – for the good of the team.

The Turtles midfielder rubbished rumours that he was unhappy after being benched in both legs of the semi-finals against Selangor to make way for rising star Ahmad Nordin Alias.

Super-sub Ahmad Nordin was the hero for Terengganu when he scored the winning goal against Kelantan in the FA Cup final in June.

"I hope to be in the starting line-up for the final but I am prepared to be a substitute if that is what the coach wants," he said during the team's training session.

"I am willing to make way for Ahmad Nordin in midfield ... he is a very good and hardworking player.

"There is no ill-feeling as all of us are playing for each other."

Ismail, who was highly regarded as the Turtles' playmaker this season and even earned a cap in the national team, has not been in the starting 11 since he was red-carded in the quarter-final, first-leg match against Kelantan.

He has since made only substitute appearances in the semi-finals against Selangor.

But Ismail is not reading too much into it, saying "no one is indispensable" in the team.

"I am willing to sacrifice a starting berth if it means the team will win the Cup," he said.

"The coach knows what he is doing."

Instead of worrying about his place in the team, Ismail said he was more focused on training hard and enjoying his football.

"I am a diehard Terengganu fan even before I was a player. I want nothing more than to see the Cup back where it belongs after 10 years," he said.

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Turtle fans fuming over ticket fiasco

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 04:53 PM PDT

KUALA TERENGGANU: Hundreds of football fans here were left fuming and disappointed as some 30,000 Malaysia Cup final tickets were "sold out" in a matter of minutes yesterday.

A check by The Star at the Terengganu FA office revealed that fans, who had been queuing up since 8am, left empty-handed as the tickets were said to have been "sold out".

Fans here were told that they could purchase the Cup final tickets for RM25 after the state government agreed to subsidise 50% of the cost of RM50 for local fans.

The subsidised cost was good news for the fans but questions remain as to how the tickets could have been sold out so fast.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said announced on Tuesday the decision to subsidise the tickets for the sake of football fans here following complaints that the tickets, priced at RM50, were too expensive.

Terengganu FA president Datuk Che Mat Jusoh had said that some 500 tickets were distributed to each state constituency and the remainder was sold at the Terengganu FA office.

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Mahathevan hopes to cap great year by playing in Cup final

Posted: 26 Oct 2011 04:53 PM PDT

PETALING JAYA: Rookie midfielder G. Mahathevan (pic) can thank his lucky stars for his successful debut with Negri Sembilan this season.

The lanky 23-year-old, who stands 1.9m (6'3"), said it was a dream come true to have qualified for the Malaysia Cup final.

He now hopes to be a part of the team that will troop onto the pitch against Terengganu at the Shah Alam Stadium on Saturday.

"It's been a good year for me and the team, which has qualified for three consecutive Malaysia Cup finals," said Mahathevan, who is not too keen to be on the bench on Cup final day.

"I am not a regular yet. I do get chances here and there but I will continue to fight for my place and I hope to establish a first-team role in the star-studded Negri side."

Mahathevan will have to compete with attacking midfielders Idris Karim, Shahurain Abu Samah, S. Kunalan and Abdul Halim Zainal for a place in the starting 11.

Mahathevan is also a rare breed of footballer who wants the best of both worlds – a successful career in football and studies. He holds a diploma in mechanical engineering.

He also believes that his stints with three other Premier League clubs have done wonders for him.

"I am playing with more confidence now. I have improved a lot since playing with my previous clubs – Shahzan Muda (2007), Sabah (2009) and PKNS FC (2010)," he said.

Things are certainly starting to look up for Mahathevan, especially since being signed up by Super League outfit Negri Sembilan this season.

Mahathevan, a big fan of French football legend Zinedine Zidane, also earned his first call-up to the national team under coach K. Rajagopal for the friendly against the visiting English Premier League giants Manchester United in July 2009.

It was not a memorable outing for Mahathevan, who only ended up warming the bench.

"I guess it was due to my inexperience. I am glad to have got the call-up though. I still have a lot to learn in football," said the defensive midfielder.

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