KUALA LUMPUR – Terengganu FC (TFC) head coach Nafuzi Zain believes his team are under no pressure at all ahead of their FA Cup final against reigning Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) tomorrow.
In fact, he said the Turtles felt more pressure en route to qualifying for the final.
“I feel that we had more pressure in the earlier rounds, starting with the opening game against Negeri Sembilan, then Kedah (second round), followed by Kuching City and Selangor… so, for me, there’s no more pressure on us (in the final) because our target was to make the final and, Alhamdulillah, we’ve made it!
“For the final, what is important is that I want my players to enjoy the game and, hopefully, bring home the trophy,” he told a pre-match media conference here today.
Nafuzi, however, admitted that as the head coach, he’s eyeing his first FA Cup win.
“As a coach, I feel that it is more meaningful for me to get my hands on the trophy, especially since I’m still young and still learning. Every coach needs a trophy to prove that he is the best,” said the 43-year-old Nafuzi.
Meanwhile, JDT head coach Hector Bidoglio said that his team will not underestimate the capabilities of TFC although they’ve defeated the Turtles in the Super League.
“I hope the game will end in our favour. We are happy with our performance and we are going to go in at high intensity and not give them any space to attack,” said the Venezuelan.
Bidoglio, who only took charge of JDT in July, said their unbeaten record in the Super League thus far was no excuse for his men not to give their best in tomorrow’s final.
“We are not thinking about the past and we respect Terengganu as our opponents. We know about this team … so the way to win this game is to do high pressing and maintain possession,” he said.
In another development, about 1,000 police officers and personnel will be on duty to provide protection during the FA Cup final at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil tomorrow.
Cheras District Police chief ACP Zam Halim Jamaluddin said they comprised members from the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU), Dog Tracking Unit (K9), General Operations Force, Mounted Police Unit and Traffic Police.
