PETALING JAYA: French centreback Herold Goulon says Negri Sembilan are in good spirits despite being in the rut in the Super League.
They have not won a single match in the Super League since their last 2-1 win against Police at the Petaling Jaya Stadium on May 18.
They have drawn five matches and lost seven games since then but are hoping to end their demoralising run in their return fixture against Police at the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi today
The 35-year-old Goulon said they have returned fresh with a goal to finish among the top 10 sides after a short break.
Negri are currently 10th with 21 points from 23 games.
“We have trained well for the last two weeks, and are fully prepared,” said the former Blackburn Rovers player.
“We are in a bad run, for sure. The only way to change the outcome is to change our mentality.
“Luckily, we had a break, so it had cleared our minds and we can start from scratch. The team are in good spirits. We know our quality ... we are not a bottom-league team.
Goulon has taken note of Police’s good run, especially after beating top sides like Pahang 3-2 on Nov 8 and Kuala Lumpur 2-0 on Oct 27.
The Cops are now seventh in the league with 34 points.
“They are good in counter attacks, so we have to be prepared for that. We want to stay disciplined and organised,” he said.
Besides the team’s poor form, the club were embroiled in financial issues related to salary arrears, which impacted the morale of the players.
Goulon admitted it had an impact on the team but the club were working hard to resolve the situation.
“It has not been easy, I’m not going to lie to you. What happens off the field does matter. It is not normal for the club to go through such a situation.
“Few clubs in Malaysia, especially after July, had been struggling. It’s hard when we have family to support.
“We are not motivated by money but the lack of effort from the management to solve the issue makes it hard. Why should we give 100 percent when the team do not care about you?” he said
“Fortunately, they have solved some of the issues, so that gives us strength for the rest of the season. I just hope it will be okay in the end.”
