Azrai: Now for the AFC Cup!

Kedah head coach Mohd Azrai Khor Abdullah is ready to put up a stronger Malaysian challenge for the AFC Cup 2008.

As one of two Malaysian representatives in the AFC Cup next year, Azrai said that the Kedah side wants to show that they have the ability to go far with the current side that they have built.

“I hope that the calendar which will be drawn up by the FA of Malaysia (FAM) will allow us to be better prepared for the AFC Cup,” said Azrai.

“I know that previously, teams which represented Malaysia had some difficulty in fitting in the AFC Cup matches but I hope that this time round; we will stand a better chance.

“It is about time that a side from Malaysia show how far we can go and it is not a question of being boastful but rather with the right ingredient and support, I believe that we can be quite successful.”

The best Malaysian representation was back in 2006 when Selangor made the quarter-finals of the AFC Cup only to falter to AL Nejmeh from Lebanon.

For 2007, Pahang and Negeri Sembilan NAZA crashed out in the group stage of the competition.

Kedah completed the treble for the 2006-2007 season when they won the FA Cup, the Super League crown and then the coveted Malaysia Cup late last month.

(Courtesy: www.fam.org.my)

Kedah reaping the rewards for investing in kids!

PETALING JAYA: The seeds of Kedah's unprecedented treble were sown almost three years ago. And on Saturday night, it all came to fruition.

Having already bagged the Super League and FA Cup, the youthful Kedah side added the Malaysia Cup to their trophy cabinet when they defeated Perak 3-0 in the final on Saturday.

But this wasn't achieved overnight.

In fact, the Canaries' youth development programme took root when coach Azraai Khor Abdullah took over from Brazil's Mirandinha midway through the 2004 season.

“When I first took over, we were just three days away from the start of the Malaysia Cup tournament (in 2004),” Azraai said on Saturday.

Despite the short period of time, Azraai managed to guide Kedah to the Malaysia Cup final that year which they lost 0-2 to Perlis.

“It was clear that we did not have the material, especially the youth. So we decided to kick-start our development programme in the state,” said Azraai.

“We got our officials and coaches together to work out a proper development programme and to ensure that it was efficiently implemented, right from the youth set-up to the President's Cup and state sides.

“We used the same type of programme for all three levels. That way, the players were able to make a smooth transition from one level to another....

(Click here to read on)

Credit where credit is due, and Kedah Coach, Azraai Khor Abdullah and his back room staff deserves all the plaudits. Because of him, Kedah have shown a matured and committed effort to bringing up the kids, and are now reaping the rewards, having just won a historic treble. Its just proved what everyone has been saying in this country for years, that we need to start with kids, that Malaysia must have a long term plan. Not just any long term plan, but a comprehensive and cohesive plan that will be enforced.

Kedah should be the template for Malaysia's success. Kedah has shown what a team can achieve with good long term planning.

Kedah walks past Perak to record historic treble!

Kedah thumped Perak 3-0 last night in Bukit Jalil to record a historic treble. I wonder if they can go on to dominate Malaysian football for the next few years. They certainly have a good coach, and a young talented team.

First half goals from Mohd Khyril Muhymeen and Marlon James deflated a Perak side, who didn't help themselves when skipper Ahmad Shahrul Azhar was sent off just before half time.

2 goal hero Marlon James

Injuries to first choice strikers Khalid Jamlus, who limped out in the 30th minute and Guinean Keita Mandjou, meant that the Perak frontline was not effective as it was.

With a comfortable 2-0 lead, Kedah just played on the counter attacked and finished off the game 10 minutes before the final whistle, with Marlon James nailing the coffin shut on Perak's cup hopes.

Kedah head coach, Mohd Azrai Khor Abdullah was notably delighted with his teams performance, "It is not easy to score three goals against Perak - what more in the final of the Malaysia Cup.The players showed speed and power in the game against Perak and they also demonstrated a lot of discipline. " (Courtesy: FAM)