FAVOURABLE DRAW FOR DEFENDING FA CUP CHAMPION SELANGOR

PETALING JAYA, Dec 15 (Bernama) -- Defending FA Cup champion, Selangor's path to the semi-final looks rosy, after drawing easier opponents when the draw for the competition was held here today.

Selangor who were given a first round bye, will await the winner of the match between SDM Kepala Batas and PKNS in the second round while their third round opponents are expected to be Pahang or Felda United while their quarter-final opponent will be either Pos Malaysia or Majlis Perbandaran Muar. Their challenge only gets tougher at the semi-final stage where defending Malaysia Cup champion Negeri Sembilan, Johor, KL Plus or Harimau Muda await.

Barring any upsets, Selangor have every possibility of facing Kelantan in the final, yet again, just like the final of the 2008-2009 season.
Selangor coach K. Devan said though the draw looks favourable, the opponents cannot be considered push overs.
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SPORTS-FOOTBALL (FA CUP) 2 (LAST) PETALING JAYA
"Being the FA Cup, we can expect a number of lesser known teams to go far and create a number of upsets if the stronger teams take them lightly," said Devan.

Devan who guided Selangor to the Charity Shield, FA Cup and Super League titles in his very first season, said defending the FA Cup and Super League titles was Selangor's top priority next season.
The FA Cup will see 30 teams competing in the home and away matches that kick off on Feb 2 and the final is expected to be played on April 10.

He added that the Sultan Ahmad Shah Charity Shield match that would feature Selangor and Negeri Sembilan at the Paroi Stadium in Seremban on Jan 9, would be an interesting and exciting affair as it would also double up as the opening Super League match.

"Our hope is to win the Charity Shield and contribute three points towards the Super League tally, but even if we collect a point, it will be fair," he said.

Former Selangor Team Manager Puzzled Over FAS' Decision To Replace Him

SHAH ALAM, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- Former Selangor team manager Zakaria Ab Rahim was surprised and disappointed with the announcement made by the Football Association of Selangor (FAS) with regard to the appointment of team manager for next season.

Zakaria who was appointed team manager in 2008 said he has not received anything official from the FAS with regard to his position and only learnt about his position from the media and after receiving a telephone call from deputy president Datuk Mokhtar Ahmad today.

"I need an explanation with regard to my position. I had wanted to meet the president Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, but he was busy today due to a state Exco meeting," Zakaria told reporters here on Wednesday.

He said he was willing to accept whatever decision made by FAS but added that he should have been briefed of his status or designation since his contract as manager only expires in May 2010.

Zakaria who became the first full-time manager in the country was given a two-year contract and led Selangor to a runner-up position in the FA Cup and Malaysia Cup in 2008 and achieved a superb result last year by lifting three title - Charity Shield, FA Cup and Super League.

"I am really puzzled because FAS makes surprise decisions just like Akademi Fantasia," he said.

"Some of the players who called me were also puzzled with the decision but urged me to be patient. I knew the risks involved when taking up the job but what I do not understand is that despite achieving the targets set, this has happened," he said.

He added the players and family members had provided support for him.

Mokhtar had yesterday announced that coach K. Devan would assume the role of coach and team manager next season while Zakaria's role would be to promote and find sponsorship for the Selangor team.

My wish was to guide Selangor into the final of the 2010 AFC Cup but with the latest development, all that would remain an unfulfilled dream, he said.

Selangor 2010 Squads

Football Association of Selangor (FAS) has announced the list of players and officials Selangor Super League squad for season 2010. 

A total of six new players:

1. Liew Kit Kong (KM Naza)
2. Farderin Kadir (KM Naza)
3. Bunyamin Umar (UPB-MyTeam)
4. Safiq Rahim (KL Plus)
5. Azrine Efendy Saduddin (Johor) 
6. Iqbal Suhaimi (Proton FC).

Then, seven 2009 season  players are waived 

1. K. Nanthakumar
2. S. Sritharan
3. Sanjos Sundawat
4. Nasril Nourdin
5. Fazli Baharudin
6. Fadzirul Zakari
7. Fauzan Dzulkifli.

• Manager :K. Devan
• Assistant Coach / Coordinator: Mohd. Rosedy Mohd. Nadzir
• Assistant Coach: P. Maniam
• Goalkeeper Coach: Azmin Azram Abdul Aziz
• Fitness coach: M. Dharmendra
• Fisioterapist: Zainuddin Zakaria
• Masseur/Kitman: Othman Saad
• Kitman: Rahim Mohamad

Players:

1. Fairul Azwan Shahrullai (1) gk
2. Razman Roslan (3) df
3. Asraruddin Putra Omar (4) df
4. Khairul Anuar Baharum (5) df
5. Nasriq Baharom (6) df
6. Farderin Kadir (7) fw                      *new
7. Safiq Rahim (8) md                          *new
8. Rudie Ramli (9) fw
9. Safee Sali (10) fw
10. Zaiza Zainal Abidin (11) df
11. Bunyamin Umar (12) df                    *new
12. Hardi Jaafar (14) df
13. P. Gunalan (15) df
14. Azrine Efendy Saduddin (16) fw      *new
15. Amri Yahyah (17) md
16. Liew Kit Kong (18) fw                       *new
17. D. Surendran (19) df
18. Amirulhadi Zainal (20) md
19. Hamsani Ahmad (21) gk
20. Iqbal Suhaimi (22) gk                        *new
21. R. Surendren (23) md
22. Fitri Shazwan Raduwan (24) md
23. Fazilidin Khalid (25) df

AFC 2010- Selangor in Group F

Result for the draw for the AFC’s second-tier club competition – The AFC Cup, was held at the AFC House in Bukit Jalil today. Selangor, the only representative from Malaysia, was drawn into Group F with Maldives’ Victory Football Club and Becamex Binh Duong from Vietnam. Another place will be taken by the winner of play-off No. 1 match. Treble champion Selangor, is the only team from Malaysia involved in the tournament as Perlis has withdrawn from participating. Eventhough Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has submitted Kelantan’s name as a replacement, AFC has rejected FAM’s application. In total, there are eight group with five for West Asia teams and another three for East Asia teams.

Group A
ACL Play-off 2 (West)
Shabab Al Ordon (JOR)
Ahli Sana’a (YEM)
Cup Winner (OMA)

Group B
Kuwait SC (KUW)
ACL Play-off 1 (West)
Al Najaf (IRQ)
Al Hilal (YEM)

Group C
Al Ahed (LIB)
Kazma (KUW)
Al Jaish (SYR)
Arbil (IRQ)

Group D
Cup Winner (IND)
Al Nejmeh (LIB)
Qadsia (KUW)
Al Ittihad (SYR)

Group E
Al Wehdat (JOR)
Riffa (BHR)
Al Nahda (OMA)
Play-off Winner (West)

Group F
Victory (MDV)
Binh Duong (VIE)
Selangor (MAS)
ACL Play-off 1 (East)

Group G
South China (HKG)
V.B. (MDV)
Persiwa (IDN)
ACL Play-off 2 (East)

Group H
South China (HKG)
V.B. (MDV)
Persiwa (IDN)
ACL Play-off 2 (East)

Selangor in AFC Cup 2010

The field is set for yet another intriguing year in AFC’s second-tier club competition – The AFC Cup.

Defending champions Kuwait Sports Club and former winners Shabab Al Ordun (Jordan) and Al Jaish (Syria) lead the pack while five out of seven teams competing in the AFC Champions League play-offs, will play in AFC Cup should they fail to qualify.

The participation of Iraqi champions Arbil and runners-up Al Najaf will be subjected to FIFA’s suspension on Iraq Football Association.

Kuwait will be represented by league champions Al Qadsia and runners-up Kadhma, apart from Kuwait SC while Binh Duong, who lost in the semi-finals to Syrian outfit Al Karama this year, will represent Vietnam.

This year’s surprise semi-finalists Hong Kong’s South China will be hoping to repeat their feat next year along with debutants Tai Po.

Of the strong 32-team line-up, 26 come from domestic league or cup competitions while the winner of the play-off between Al Rayyan (Qatar) and Nasaf (Uzbekistan) will book their berth. Five losers from the ACL play-off will complete the roster.

The draw will be held on December 7, 2009.

The following is a list of clubs who have so far qualified for the 2010 AFC Cup:

Bahrain
Riffa (KO champions)

Hong Kong
South China (league runners-up)
Tai Po (KO champions)

Indonesia
Persiwa Wamena (league runners-up)

Iraq (pending on FIFA’s suspension)
Arbil (league champions)
Al Najaf (league runners-up)

Jordan
Al Wehdat (league champions)
Shabab Al Ordun (KO champions)

Kuwait
Kuwait SC (AFC Cup champions)
Al Qadsia (league champions)
Kadhma (league runners-up)

Lebanon
Al Najmah (league champions)
Al Ahed (KO champions)

Malaysia
Selangor (league champions)

Maldives
V.B. (league champions)
Victory (KO champions)

Oman
Al Nahda (league champions)

Singapore
Geylang United (KO champions)

Syria
Al Ittihad (league runners-up)
Al Jaish (league third place)

Thailand
Thai Port (KO champions)

Vietnam
Binh Duong (league runners-up)

Yemen
Al Hilal (league champions)
Ahli Sana’a (KO champions)