PETALING JAYA: Juan Torres Garrido will be thrown straight into the deep end when Sabah face Negri Sembilan in their Super League clash at the Likas Stadium tomorrow.
The Spaniard, a former youth scout with Spanish giants Barcelona, has barely settled into his new role but is already tasked with steering the Rhinos out of troubled waters.
Sabah currently sit 11th in the 12-team standings with 14 points from 15 matches, just two places above bottom side Police, and are desperate for a lift.
Garrido is well aware of the time constraint but remains unfazed by the challenge.
“The preparation time is short. As a coach, you have to pack a lot into a short period and when challenges come, you face them head-on,” said Garrido.
He has joined the team from Croatian club Hajduk Split, where he was the youth development director.
“I’m looking forward to my first league game against Negri.”
Sabah’s last victory in all competitions came on Dec 23, when they defeated Terengganu 3-1 in the Super League. Since then, they have endured a difficult spell, losing three and drawing two across all competitions.
Despite the winless run, Garrido described the mood in camp as positive after overseeing his first training session.
“The first day of training was good. There was rain at the beginning and, to be honest, I was missing that,” he joked.
“My first impressions are that the boys have received me well and are open-minded enough to embrace my ideas and approach on the pitch.
“Before signing and joining Sabah, I did my homework. I studied the club’s philosophy, the players’ identities, their performance data and what needs to be improved to climb the league table.
“I also know some of the players from my time with the national team and the Under-23 squad. Now, I am getting to know the rest to better understand their character and what they can bring to the team.”
During his stint with the national set-up, Garrido worked with centreback Dominic Tan as well as forwards Fergus Tierney and Darren Lok.
