Football: Slovakian Herel to chart Penang’s fortune

PENANG: Super League outfit Penang have named Josef Herel as their coach for the new football season, which begins on Dec 10. 

The FA of Penang (FAP) at the council meeting yesterday favoured the 53-year-old Slovakian over former Perak coach Toni Netto and former Penang player Merzagua Abderazzak. 

Herel takes over from Norizan Bakar who left to take charge of the national Under-23 side. 

Herel is no stranger to Malaysian football, having coached Negri Sembilan and Perlis in the early nineties. He returned to the country earlier this year for a coaching stint with the Arsenal Soccer School in Kuala Lumpur. 

During his tenure, he led the Deer to a third-place finish in the top division in 1992 and repeated the feat two years later with the Northern Lions. 

Since leaving Malaysia in 1995, Herel has had stints in Slovakia, Maldives, Vietnam and was the Pakistan national coach in 2001. 

“Although he left the Malaysian football scene more than 10 years ago, he has not lost touch with football, especially in the Asian region,” said FAP vice-president and team manager Datuk Mohd Zain Omar. 

“We are going to take a fresh approach by exposing more young players and the FAP felt that Herel is the best candidate to handle the new-look team.” 

Herel, who is expected to sign his contract with the Panthers tomorrow, will also recommend three foreign players to the team. 

Penang only retained the services of Brazilian defender Mario da Silva. They have released another Brazilian, Jose Barreto, Russian striker Viatcheslav Melnikov and Japanese midfielder Ito Dan. 

“The coach has been told to scout for the foreign players. However, we will not be depending on him alone for the imports,” said Mohd Zain. 

“We will be using a two-prong approach, whereby the FA will also bring in several foreign players for trials. However, Herel will have the final say on the players he wants.” 

Penang retained 12 players from this year's squad with emphasis to be given on exposing untested home grown players for the new season. 

Among those left out for the new season are R. Suresh Kumar, Tengku Hazman Hassan, S. Nanthakumar, M. Nagaraja and Mohd Faizal Esahar. 

Former international defender Aziz Ismail has left for Malacca Telekom. The only notable new local inclusion is Penang NTFA's 2005 top scorer Rosli Azizan, who donned Penang colours in the Malaysia Cup competition this year. 

Penang had a dismal 2005 season, barely escaping relegation from the Super League on goal difference. 

And the Malaysia Cup, which Penang last won in 1974, continues to be elusive. They were beaten by eventual champions Selangor in the quarter-finals.