PETALING JAYA: Unity and belief have been the foundations behind Kuching City’s extraordinary season.
And midfielder Daniel Amier Norhisham, who is on-loan from Johor Darul Ta’zim for the second season in a row, credited coach Aidil Sharin for transforming the mentality within the squad and guiding them to one of the greatest seasons in their history.
“The spirit, motivation and belief that coach Aidil has brought to the team are second to none,” said the 29-year-old.
“The key thing he established is unity. He instilled that belief into every single one of us and kept pushing us forward.
“He made it clear that no one is above anyone else, anyone can play, but you must show the effort. Because the team is always rotating, every player gets a genuine chance.”
That togetherness has propelled Kuching to a historic campaign, culminating in a 1-0 victory over Kuala Lumpur City at the State Stadium in Kuching on Sunday.
The lone goal was scored by Cameroonian striker Jerome Mpacko Etame in the 29th minute to ensure the club get their 16th win of the season.
The win secured second place in the Super League with 53 points from 24 matches and confirmed the Sarawak side’s place in the AFC Champions League (ACL) Two competition for the first time.
Kuching have also booked a spot in the Malaysia Cup final against defending Johor Darul Ta’zim at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil this Saturday, completing a season that few could have predicted after they finished fourth last year.
“For me, it has been such an amazing and incredible journey,” said Daniel.
“This is my second season here and we have achieved a lot. Last season we finished fourth, but this season, finishing second and reaching the Malaysia Cup final is completely beyond our expectations.”
Daniel also expressed gratitude towards Aidil for showing faith in him after a difficult spell away from regular football before joining the Borneo side in 2024.
“It is not easy for a coach to put their trust in you after you haven’t played for such a long time,” he said.
The midfielder is now relishing the prospect of featuring in the Malaysia Cup final.
“I have been told that I am eligible to play despite being on-loan from JDT and I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am,” he said.
