PETALING JAYA: It is tough to watch a young football side being massacred on the field without enough ammunition to fight back.
Irfan Bakti (pic), the most senior coach in the Super League at 75, admitted that he felt deeply emotional watching his young Kelantan side toil under the weight of a FIFA transfer ban that has left the team unable to register a single new player – local or import – this season.
The Red Warriors were thrashed 5-0 by Kuching City at the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi on Saturday, with the match moved from Kota Baru after the Sultan Mohd IV Stadium was booked for another event.
Cameroonian striker Jerome Mpacko Etame extended his rich vein of form with a hattrick in the seventh, ninth and 54th minutes, while winger Safawi Rasid added two more in the 42nd and 56th minutes.
For Irfan, the scoreline told only part of the story.
“We have to accept the reality of our situation. These are the only players we have – just 14 available today. One player got injured, and two fell ill, leaving us with just 13,” he said.
With a threadbare squad, several of his players were making their Super League debuts under difficult circumstances.
“For most of my players, this is their very first time playing in the Super League. But despite these obstacles, they gave their absolute best out there,” he said.
“I actually teared up because they fought well and they did not deserve this.”
Kelantan’s crisis stems from a transfer ban imposed by FIFA but Irfan was quick to stress that the sanction has nothing to do with the club’s current running.
“This is not an excuse. Every defeat, I take full responsibility as the manager. But this mistake wasn’t made by us as it was inherited from the previous management years ago,” he explained.
“Due to the same name and logo, claims were filed against us, and FIFA imposed a transfer ban. It has nothing to do with current management or sponsors.
“We can’t register local or import players. The squad we have right now isn’t built for this level – the gap is simply too wide.
“We’ve conceded 18 goals in three games and scored just once. It is a heavy burden, and as manager, I feel deeply ashamed watching these boys struggle,” he said.
In the season opener, they lost 1-4 to Selangor in Kota Baru and then collapsed 0-9 to Johor Darul Ta’zim in Iskandar Puteri.
Despite the setbacks, Irfan remains hopeful a resolution is within reach, pointing to fellow Super League side Kuala Lumpur, who recently had their own transfer ban lifted.
“We have sent a letter to FIFA and received a response, and I’ve messaged the local football authorities asking for help to resolve this.
“Kuala Lumpur got their ban lifted and now have extra players – we just hope for a similar resolution before the window closes,” he said.
Kelantan will take on Kuching again tomorrow, this time in the FA Cup last 16 first-leg game at the Sultan Mohd IV Stadium in Kota Baru.
