KL coach worried players leaving due to internal issues

Fingers crossed: Irfan Zakaria (right) is one of the quality players that Kuala Lumpur hope to keep for this season’s Super League.

PETALING JAYA: No coach wants their best players to leave.

And it’s no different for Kuala Lumpur coach Yusri Che Lah but he is afraid that he might lose more players as the club are currently mired with internal issues.

He has already lost national defender Syazwan Andik Ishak to defending Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT).

Kuala Lumpur Football Association (KLFA) hit a bump after their scheduled congress-cum-election on Nov 18 last year was postponed.

The Sports Commissioner is investigating the association due to protests from several of their affiliates.

Said Yusri: “I want my players to stay. However, I cannot stop them if they’re going to leave. The management is working hard to ensure that these players get their pay.”

“We’ve some quality players like Irfan (Zakaria). We want to keep them to make sure the squad do well in the Super League. I’m sure the players will give their fullest commitment when all issues are resolved.”

The former Kelantan coach said he will make do with the resources left.

“The management has given me a target and also a squad to work with. I can’t lament my team are weak all the time,” said Yusri.

“There are other players at my disposal and they should take this opportunity to prove themselves. I’ll make use of the Presidents’ Cup players and the reserves in our squad.

“It’s time for them to show that they can be part of the first team,” added Yusri, who identified young versatile defender Muhd Azhar Apandi, midfielders Haziq Muiz and Hardee Samsuri as players to play crucial roles this season.

Kuala Lumpur kick off their Super League campaign against Pahang at the Cheras Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.