Having been given the honour to coach the national football team, Nazri Nasir could not have asked for a more difficult opponent for his debut, one that could turn his dream job into a nightmare.
Facing arch-rivals Malaysia tonight in the AirMarine Cup at the Bukit Jalil Stadium, the former national captain is embracing the stress and strain of the fixture though.
"The pressure is like a pleasure," he told The Straits Times yesterday from Kuala Lumpur, sounding cheerful. "I am taking this game positively. I see it as a challenge and hope this can rub off on the players."
On March 7, the Football Association of Singapore announced Nazri as the caretaker coach, leading the Lions for this week's AirMarine Cup quadrangular, the team's first outing since last November's Asean Football Federation Suzuki Cup.
Singapore will meet Malaysia tonight while Oman play Afghanistan on the same day.
The winners will contest the final on Saturday while the losers will play in the third-place play-off.
Since then, the 48-year-old coach managed to train the squad only twice. The first, a 90-minute session on Monday, focused on small-sided games and finishing.
The second, a one-hour session, was conducted yesterday evening to home in on tactics.
Apart from goalkeeper Zaiful Nizam, who is nursing a calf strain, the rest of the 22-strong squad have no injury problems.
The Lions are currently ranked 165th in the world by global football governing body Fifa while Malaysia are two rungs below.
But at the Suzuki Cup last year, it was the Tigers who performed better, reaching the final before losing 3-2 to Vietnam while the Lions crashed out at the group stage.
Tigers coach Tan Cheng Hoe told Malaysian media: "Their (the Malaysian players') spirits are high - that's good, but I want to make sure they adapt to the way we play.
"It is different from their clubs. Training sessions have been different for them, but they've adjusted.
"Playing against Singapore is not going to be easy. I've told the boys not to be emotional but just concentrate on the game."
And even though Malaysia have the home advantage and better recent form, Nazri can sense the determination coursing through the Singapore team ahead of the Causeway derby.
He said: "Even from one training session, I can see all players are eager to go. Guys like (Khairul) Amri, (Khairul) Nizam, Yasir (Hanapi), Gabriel (Quak) and Faris (Ramli) all looked very sharp. All players are hungry to be in the first XI.
"We are not going to sit and wait for Malaysia to attack us. We will pressure them from the start. Chances are very few at international games but when they appear, I want the players to be focused and take these chances.
"We are not expecting a draw. Malaysia will be a very tough opponent, this is a very big rivalry and both sides want to win. But I trust my players to deliver."
MALAYSIA V SINGAPORE
Singtel TV Ch111, 8.40pm
Real Madrid have secured the signing of Eintracht Frankfurt striker Luka Jovic for 60 million euros. Of that amount, 48 million euros will go to the Bundesliga club with the remaining 12 million
Real Madrid sign Jovic for 60 million euros - report
(Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino remained defiant despite his side preparing for their Champions League semi-final second leg against Ajax Amsterdam in disjointed fashion
Pochettino defiant as poor Tottenham form continues
Gylfi Sigurdsson deepened Cardiff City's Premier League relegation fears with two well-taken goals in Everton's 3-0 victory in the Welsh capital on Tuesday. A first half low on quality was illuminated by one flowing move in the 41st minute which ended with Sigurdsson firing low into the corner after being picked out by Seamus Coleman.
Sigurdsson double helps Everton sink Cardiff
The deadline for Cardiff City to pay the first instalment of the £15m transfer fee for Emiliano Sala has been extended until Wednesday, 27 February. The Bluebirds were due to make the first
Nantes complain to Fifa that Cardiff have not paid Emiliano
Lionel Messi collected a record fifth Golden Shoe award on Tuesday for finishing last season as the top goal scorer in Europe. The striker scored 34 goals in 68 games for Barcelona, putting him
Soccer Shoes Messi Sold Direct - eBay | Fantastic prices on Soccer Shoes Messi
AD
Football: Premier League voices fears over proposed Champions League reforms Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane walks past the trophy during the medal ceremony after winning the Champions League in
Premier League voices fears over proposed Champions League
worldsoccertalk.com/2019/04/05/premier-league-voices-fears-over-proposed-champions-league-reforms/
Premier League voices fears over proposed Champions League reforms AFP April 5, 2019 AFP No Comments London (AFP) - The Premier League voiced "significant concerns" over potential reforms to the Champions League on Friday, saying the changes would damage the thriving domestic game.
Premier League Voices Fears Over Proposed Champions League
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino was Monday charged with improper conduct by the Football Association following his side's defeat to Burnley. Mauricio Pochettino in an argument with Referee
Football: Tottenham boss Pochettino charged with improper
Ozil leads five-star Arsenal past Bournemouth Mesut Ozil made the most of being handed a rare start by Arsenal boss Unai Emery as the German masterminded a 5-1 victory over Bournemouth on Wednesday to keep the Gunners in pole position for a top-four finish in the Premier League.
Football: Ozil leads five-star Arsenal past Bournemouth
Football: Choupo-Moting in goal-line howler as PSG throw away chance to wrap up French title Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting somehow succeeded in turning a net-bound Christopher Nkunku shot onto the post
Football: Choupo-Moting in goal-line howler as PSG throw away
MADRID, May 22 (Reuters) - The wife of Spain's World Cup-winning captain Iker Casillas, Sara Carbonero, has announced that she has undergone surgery for cancer just three weeks after the goalkeeper suffered a heart attack. Casillas, who made 167 appearances for Spain and 725 for boyhood club Real
Iker Casillas' wife Sara Carbonero fighting ovarian cancer
Can You Keep It? "You do have that moment of 'Oh my God, I won the lottery,'" said Holland, a marketing executive in Louisville, Kentucky. She didn't call her bank immediately.
How to Use Your Bank Account During Filing of Chapter 13
It will be "super difficult" for Neymar to face Manchester United in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League tie with Paris Saint-Germain in February, according to manager Thomas Tuchel
Neymar unlikely to be fit for Manchester United Champions
0 comments:
Post a Comment