May Allah Give Turtles Strengths

1. Kedah head coach Tan Cheng Hoe says Terengganu is one of the better teams and should make the cut for the 2014 Malaysia Cup quarter finals. He adds that the players have been playing together for quite a while and they are familiar with each other.

2. Today Berita Harian's Wan Fakhrul Bakar and NST's Ajitpal Singh also say Turtles should have no problem advancing to the quarter finals.

3. We hope the Terengganu players don't read these articles. If they do, they should not read too much into it. Rather the players ought to know the difference between on paper and on the pitch. Results are created on the pitch regardless of what is written in newspapers or blogs.

4. When you troop into the pitch tonight, results can either be a loss, draw or a win. Mind you a win is not guaranteed. (see what happened to T-Team in their very last MSL match against Lions XII at home...)

5. Whether it is due to home advantage, Sarawak is already not in contention or whatever 1001 other reasons one may want to add, the onus is on the players with guidance from coaches and officials to convert all your advantages into a win. Strengths are required to convert all your conceivable advantages into the desired result tonight. So do harness and utilize all the individual and collective strengths that you have. 

6. Unless after the last two draws, you relish being a pakar seri? But then will a draw or even a loss help you to advance. Better don't play play. The inability to advance to the quarter finals will not be acceptable to the fans. Is it acceptable to the players themselves, coaches, officials and management?

7. The Sarawak fans ran amok in Kuching. Terengganu fans burnt down the visiting Negeri Sembilan bus in the late 1970s. Then Terengganu needed at least eight goals to advance. They nearly did it after getting four goals in the first half. Expectations were high. However in the second half, star striker (Allahyarham) Sulaiman Rejab was red-carded. Instead of getting four more goals, the final result was just a 4-2 win. The rest was a dark history.

8. There are also uncontrollable factors which Terengganu should be wary of. Do they have control over the referee, linesmen, weather and a host of other things? 

9. Even so, Terengganu players do not have to put unnecessary pressure on themselves. They should say Alhamdulillah they are still in contention and are presented with this opportunity to wrap-up the challenge with a win, In shaa Allah. Go out there and positively welcome the challenge. 

10. What they truly think, feel, say and do tonight will make the difference.