PETALING JAYA: Negri Sembilan’s interim coach K. Rajan is set to make his mark with an new tactical approach as his team take on Sabah in the Super League at Likas Stadium today.
Stepping in following the sudden resignation of Nidzam Jamil last week, Rajan expressed his gratitude to the club’s management for entrusting him with the team during this transitional phase.
“I take on this challenge with full responsibility to give my very best,” said Rajan, who earned five caps for Malaysia and played for Negri Sembilan between 2001 and 2004.
Recognising the need for positive changes, Rajan revealed that his focus this week had been on refining the team’s playing style.
Several tactical improvements were introduced in training to address weaknesses from the previous match, and their effectiveness will be fully tested in his debut.
Acknowledging the challenge ahead, Rajan admitted that Sabah enjoy a strong home advantage, bolstered by passionate supporters.
However, he refused to rely on the team’s previous 3-0 victory over Sabah in Paroi on Sept 27 as a confidence boost.
“That previous win will not be taken into account because it’s in the past. We will focus on one game at a time. Sabah now have a new coach, so we do not know their tactics or formation,” he said.
Regarding player availability, the squad is generally in good shape, with only a few minor injuries reported.
However, Negri will be without two key players for the Likas clash – Japanese midfielder Yuichi Hirano and Ghanaian striker Joseph Esso.
Hirano serves a one-game suspension after receiving a red card in last week’s match against Immigration, while Esso misses out after accumulating three yellow cards.
Negri currently sit ninth in the league with 17 points from 16 games, while Sabah are 11th with 14 points from 15 matches.
