PETALING JAYA: Police are on high alert ahead of the upcoming Super League season.
The Cops are expecting some trouble as they will be competing against some of the top teams.
Their 36-year-old captain Azmi Muslim (pic) admitted that without any major signings they will struggle against the big boys.
“We will be up against giants like JDT (Johor Darul Ta’zim), Selangor, Terengganu, Sabah and Kedah, who, I think, will again dominate the league,” said the leftback.
“Previously, we played in the Premier League, so the quality and level of competition are obviously different, I hope the players will not be intimidated.
“We have to be realistic of our chances. The target set by the management is to be above the bottom two and avoid having to compete in the playoffs to the M3 League.
“We can achieve that as I believe, apart from the big four clubs, we can compete against the others.”
The club, who recently hired coach Azzmi Aziz, have undergone a massive overhaul ahead of the 2023 season by retaining only eight players including Azmi, Nabil Ahmad Latpi and Jordanian midfielder Fadi Awad.
Five other players – Amirul Wa’ie Yaacob, Zazrir Naim Abdul Rani, Safiee Ahmad, Alif Naquiddin Shouffi, Amir Saiful Badeli – are police officers.
“The management’s top priority is to give opportunities to their personnel and young players. Even without star players, I don’t think we are pushovers. We’ll make the best of the situation.”
Police ended the Premier League in sixth place last season and competed in the last 16 of the Malaysia Cup.
Azmi, an integral part of the club’s growth last season, is thankful that Police have extended his stay for another season.
“I’m happy to still play at the highest level. And as the club’s most experienced player, I will do my utmost to help this team, including the youngsters to progress.”
