T-Team shocker

It is no joke having your team relegated, albeit by inferior goal difference to ATM, to the lower division from the country's top flight football. Your CVs as coaches, players or even team officials will be affected. It is even harder to explain to the fans, fan clubs, media people and those stakeholders who have football in their blood.

2. After the embarrasing final game 0-1 defeat to Lions XII at home, T-Team were left without a coach  even though the team had to square off against Negeri Sembilan in the Malaysia Cup playoff. Head coach Mohd Azraai Khor Abdullah left for his hometown for a family function in Alor Star while his assistant, Azlan Johar, left for umrah. T-Team confirmed that both had applied for leave earlier, perhaps with the confidence that the team would remain in the Super League.

3. Both Azraai and Azlan did not reply to text messages sent by Bola Pantai Timur. 

4. Enter President Cup coach Mohd Azahari Salim. He was asked by the apparently "fuming" management to prepare the team from suffering another major setback this season. 

5. Last night T-Team managed to salvage some pride after beating Negeri Sembilan 1 - 0. Azraai only re-joined the team at Shah Alam stadium. In the limited time that he had, what Azahari, a B licensed holder, had done was to use more or less the same players but changed some of their positions.It worked last night.    

6. Terengganu Sports Council Director, Abdul Rasid Jusoh expressed his disappointment with The Titans' performance this year. To him the management had done everything possible to ensure that T-Team would remain in the Super League. Administrative-wise, he cited an efficient salary, allowance and bonus management plus special accommodation and specific transport. Footballing-wise, he cited a high-calibre coach, good training ground, etc.

7. He considers this year as a highly-competitive season. When it was put him whether T-Team is by implication not competitive or not ready enough this season, he disagrees.  But the question is what differentiates the team from other top four teams in the league and top four teams in this year's FA Cup in terms of the quality of administration/ management and pure football aspects such as coaches, players, pitches, stadium, etc? How do T-Team differentiate themselves from others to become one of the country's respectable teams?  

8. Safety first. A key question is why T-Team left it too late until the last game instead of ensuring that they were really away from the relegation zone much earlier.   
    
9. Early in the season Azraai was confident that the team would at least be in mid-table in terms of MSL standing. Notwithstanding serious injuries to seniors like Hassan, Shahril, Hazwan, Azrul, Azlan and Fabio, except for a few, no one would have thought that T-Team was destined to go a division lower. Even if the team cannot reach its own season's objectives, interested stakeholders will not be kind if their team cannot maintain its position in the top 10.

10.  Even when Yunus Alif was in charge as head coach, people were then still critical of him despite his ability to keep T-Team in fairly respectable positions.

11. It is possible that Azraai Khor, who has a two-year contract, will remain in charge for the Malaysia Cup. T-Team used to make it to the semi-final but  lost to eventual champions Negeri Sembilan, then under him as head coach. Here is a challenge for him, his players, the management and supporters. Time for redemption - make sure the team can reach at least the semi-finals again this year!   

12. However if a new coach is preferred for this year's Malaysia Cup, priority should be undoubtedly given to Terengganu's own remaining Class A coaches  namely Che Ku Marzuki @ Jibang, Hasnan Ahmad, Mohamad Nik (current Felda's assistant coach) and Yunus Alif (PBAPP's head coach). If they perform, consider appointing them as head coach next season. Abdul Rahman Ibrahim is now Terengganu's head coach.

13. Meanwhile there is no doubt that T-Team's management should proceed their crisis meeting with urgency. By comparison Kelantan, FA Cup semi-finalist and one of MSL's top teams, had already announced their two pre-M-Cup friendlies. Stakeholders want to see clearer direction, one way or the other, and speed plus commitment in both planning and execution.

14. Don't forget voices calling for the return of Dato' Che' Mat Jusoh & Co is gaining traction. Why? Because despite their own weaknesses, they are perceived to be experienced football hands.