PETALING JAYA: Negri Sembilan are beginning to feel the effects of a congested schedule, but head coach Nidzam Jamil believes the backing of their home crowd in Paroi could help spark a turnaround for the Deers.
Negri were held to a goalless draw by Immigration in the first leg of their Malaysia Cup round of 16 tie at the Batu Kawan Stadium on Saturday.
Nidzam had no complaints with the result given his players’ energy levels.
The Deers have played three matches in seven days, losing 1-0 to Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) last Friday before suffering another narrow 1-0 defeat to Selangor in the Super League on Wednesday.
Negri will have some time to recharge before the second leg match kicks off at the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi on Jan 25.
“Having three games in about seven days is tough,” said Nidzam.
“But I think a 0-0 draw is a fair result.”
Forced to rotate players due to injuries, Nidzam said some players were fielded for all three matches, including 23-year-old Luqman Hakim Shamsudin.
“Some players covered more than 23km in two matches, so they can’t be fresh for the third game. But regardless, we still tried to field our best player, and Luqman wanted to play,” he said.
“It’s fatigue, I admit that it’s the problem. It’s a challenge, but it’s also professional football.”
The team however, have been performing well on home ground, winning four of their past nine matches in Paroi and only losing two, and Nidzam hopes that energy will help them next week in the second leg.
“We have been getting good results at home, and I’ve been happy with how things have been at Paroi,” said Nidzam.
“We appreciate what is happening this season and want to say thanks to all the fans.
“The players want to make the club better than before.”
Meanwhile, Nidzam also praised newcomer Anuar Ceesay, who has been finding his footing since arriving from the A1 Semi-Pro League.
“He (Ceesay) is trying to catch up. He knows this league is much more competitive but I see him learning each day.
“If he stays focused, he can be a very good player,” said Nidzam.
