PETALING JAYA: Negri Sembilan winger Jovan Motika (pic) has called for patience from their demanding supporters, insisting the team are still a work in progress.
The 27-year-old Bosnian acknowledged the fans’ concerns over their inconsistent results but stressed that fluctuations are expected in a revamped squad featuring many new and young players.
“When you build a new team with many young players, you have to expect ups and downs in performances and results,” said Motika.
“The fans need to understand that, accept it and continue supporting the team throughout the season.”
The Deer will take on Terengganu at the Sultan Mizan Stadium in Gong Badak tomorrow, where they seek to strengthen their hold on sixth place.
And Motika could prove pivotal again, having enjoyed an impressive season with 11 goals in 25 appearances - a notable return for a winger.
Despite his convincing displays, Motika admitted he was disappointed at missing out on a stronger push earlier in the campaign.
“I’m sad we dropped out of the top four race early because this club deserve to be in a higher position. But we lost points in matches we shouldn’t have, and that’s the reality of our season.”
Negri currently sit sixth with 23 points from 20 matches, recording five wins, eight draws and seven defeats.
However, they face stiff competition for the sixth spot, with seventh-placed Immigration and eight-placed Brunei close behind on 22 points, while ninth-placed Penang trail with 20, with four matches remaining.
Negri’s cup campaigns also ended in disappointment, suffering heavy aggregate defeats to Selangor in both the Malaysia Cup (6-1) and FA Cup (6-3) quarter-finals.
Motika, however, still believes the club are heading in the right direction, a key factor behind his decision to extend his stay.
“This is one of the better clubs in Malaysia at the moment, so it wasn’t difficult for me to agree to stay for another season,” added Motika, who joined Negri from Kuala Lumpur in May last year.
“The club and the people here believe in me, and I hope I can deliver even better performances in the future.’’
