Your job as a president to bring in the funds and manage the branding of the team. Let the coaching staff decide who they want to bring in. Instead of going on your own foreign player hunt, allow the coach to do so. This is why I never liked the idea of having politicians leading any associations. No sound knowledge of the game but claiming to be masters of it.
By T. Avineshwaran
I was only six when I came across the acronym Prk in The Star newspaper. It was in the sports section, and I was intrigued by that acronym.
I asked my Appa (Father) what Prk was and he answered Perak. If I was not mistaken, it was a picture of Azrul Amri Burhan evading a tackle in that page.
I wanted to know more about this team, and names like Roslan Hamid, Raja Azlan Raja Sho’ib, S. Silvarajoo and M. Nagarajah were mentioned regularly by the Perak folks.
Since then, I pestered my father to bring me to the stadium and eventually in 1998, I watched Perak vs Selangor in a Malaysia Cup game. Together with my uncle, who is a Selangor fan, we went to the stadium, and if I’m not mistaken, tickets were only RM5 at the time and children were only charged RM1 or RM2.
The stadium was packed to the rafters, and I was wondering how one game and one team can gather so many people. The emotion, the passion and the adrenaline - It got to me! It was made sweeter when we won 2-0, and it was quite hilarious to see my uncle grimacing at every missed Selangor chances.
That year, we won our sixth Malaysia Cup by beating Terengganu 5-3 in a penalty shootout. Watching the live telecast on the match was exhilarating, but nothing beats the feeling of being in a packed stadium.
My love for Perak grew since then, and I have always followed my home team in the league and also cup competitions. Fast forward ten years later, I was in Shah Alam Stadium witnessing history.
Many football fans in Malaysia surely knew the outcome of the game but let this fan have his moment la ah. In my opinion, it was one of the best finals I have ever watched. It was a real thriller, and Perak certainly made us wait for that sweet success.
Before entering the stadium, I had this belief that Perak would win it, but all that was quashed when Idris Ahmad’s nervous back pass to Hafizul Hakim led to a goal by Terengganu’s Captain Kipte Tchetche.
In the 30th minute, Leandro Dos Santos headed the ball past Suffian Abdul Rahman, and there was a chorus of delirium from the Perak stands as they thought Perak equalised and even the fitness coach Sam Pakiaraj, who was near our stands, was thumping his chest. It was pure passion and adrenaline at the time.
However, the referee, make sure to note this name Suresh Jayaraman, ruled out the goal by claiming that Leandro fouled the goalkeeper. At first, he gave the goal, but remonstrations from the Terengganu bench led him to overturn the goal.
Calamity struck again from Perak when Hafizul miscued his attempted clearance and Tchetche duly obliged by putting the ball into the empty net. The pitch certainly played a part in that goal as the ball took a sudden bounce when Hafizul attempted his clearance. He looked beaten and was inconsolable, but the fans and players did not give up. We knew Perak could turn up in the second-half. We somehow felt that the cup was ours.
Kenny Palraj’s substitution in the second half proved to be a real masterstroke. He changed the game by bringing balance to the Perak side. For all their attacking veracity, they needed a man who could help the attack and thwart attacks at the same time. He also allowed Leandro and Brendan Gan the freedom to move forward. Three of them were brilliant in the final
Perak got their first goal through Firdaus Saiyadi thanks to a brilliant move and pass by Brendan Gan. From then on, it was all Perak, but the referee certainly wanted to take centre stage. Most of his calls were dubious, and he had no control of the match. First, he ruled Gilmar goal’s beautiful finish offside, which riled us up and sending off our ‘Shalaalaalaaa’ boy was indeed needless when it was supposed to be Igor Zonjic and Firdaus.
Perak upped the ante and threw whatever they could at Terengganu’s defence. The game was no more about tactics, it was all about heart, passion and who wanted it more. Perak showed that but for the fans, it was a nervous watch. I, for one, could not seat at all and grimaced at every Perak chance.
Once it was the 90th minute, it felt like a cauldron. All the fans prayed, cried and shouted for an equaliser and that moment came through Brendan Gan. The man who went through not one but two painstaking ACL injuries was imperious throughout the match and deservedly got the equalising goal. Rain started pouring, and we believed again!
The momentum was on us and the players, who looked knackered, were certainly galvanised by the presence of the fans. However, it was Terengganu who got the lead in extra time. A brilliant curler from the nimble-footed Faiz Nasir gave Terengganu the lead. He was one of the best players on the pitch, and I am still wondering why he is not selected for the national team.
Perak tried to mount a comeback but chance after chance, we felt the cup was going to slip away from us. Terengganu fans were already cheering, and they switched on their phone torch lights to celebrate.
But it was not over, and Perak certainly kept the ‘Seladang’ in them alive. An innocuous looking cross from Amirul Azhan Aznan fooled Terengganu’s defence, and Zonjic turned that cross into his own net. Karma is a dish best served cold. Leandro and Wander Luiz's celebration in front of him was legendary. Even though it was not professional but this is an emotionally charged affair. You got to let loose once in a while!
It was penalties, and I was confident of our chances. Hafizul certainly atoned for his first-half mistake by saving two penalties. Perak won 4-1 via penalties, and we were the champions after 18 years. I could not control my emotions because this felt personal to me.
Even though I do not know some of these players personally, I felt connected to them. Shahrul Saad comes from my school SMK Anderson while Nazirul Naim comes from my father’s hometown Kuala Kangsar.
Having many close friends in Buntong, I was happy for Kenny and coach Sam, who both hail from there. From a happy go lucky riding his beloved 'Kapchai' to a Malaysia Cup champion, Kenny's rise has been nothing short but inspirational. I was happy for every one of the players and also the coaching staff. They deserved this victory and to see them hoist the cup, it was priceless!
But I have some words reserved for the new president of Perak FA. You have to understand that it was the players who got the victory. It was odd to see you parading the trophy around like you have won it. To me, it was the coaches and players who were supposed to be hoisting the cup, not you.
It looked like an elaborate mileage show to me, and the best word to describe that act is appalling. I have heard lots of murmurs around claiming that you’re going to cut down the team cost, bring in players from Cardiff City on loan and giving bonuses to only the first eleven players of the team.
Thank God, a statement was issued stating that the whole team would get it but to have an earlier thought of just giving bonuses to only the first eleven is just plain ridiculous.
Your job as a president to bring in the funds and manage the branding of the team. Let the coaching staff decide who they want to bring in. Instead of going on your own foreign player hunt, allow the coach to do so. This is why I never liked the idea of having politicians leading any associations. No sound knowledge of the game but claiming to be masters of it.
Momentum is on Perak, and my only worry is the people from the upper management. Let’s not halt this momentum by coming up with moves that could only jeopardise the team. Halt the mileage and let the footballing staff weave their magic.
The belief is back, and the fans will come in droves to watch games now. One fan even said, “This team does not know how to give up. This is the Perak of old, and I do not want this to stop.”
The ball is in your court, Mr President.
*Also, victory should be dedicated to the late great 'Ah Wa' and former Perak manager, the late Datuk Seri Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Raja Omar