PETALING JAYA: Khairu Azrin Khazali (pic) was hailed as one of the best defensive midfielders in the Malaysian League when he helped Penang finish third in 2021.
That earned him a big move to Kedah last year but injury and stiff competition saw him under-perform with the club.
This year, he has left the northern state to rejuvenate his career with Kelantan for the new Super League season.
Will Khairu succeed?
The 31-year-old is determined to change his fortunes.
“What happened in Kedah is not anyone’s fault. I tried my best but it was difficult to play often because there were too many players in midfield like Dechi Marcel, Sanrawat (Dechmitr), Fadzrul Danel and Asnan Ahmad,” he said.
“I hope to restore my confidence with Kelantan and try to get into the starting line-up.’’
He was also looking forward to reuniting with coach Thomas Trucha.
“I want to work with Thomas again because when I was under him in Penang, I experienced one of the best moments in my career,” he said.
“Hopefully, with him, I will be able to show what I can give on the field because he understands my style of play as a defensive midfielder.”
In Kedah, Khairu only made 16 appearances (710 minutes of play), with nine starts and seven from the bench in all competitions.
Meanwhile, Khairu said the presence of several experienced players like Indra Putra Mahayuddin, Abdul Latiff Suhaimi, Syazwan Zainon and Fandi Othman would help Kelantan soar this year.
“The list of senior and young players is quite balanced. It’s positive.
“Having old players like Indra and Syazwan is important because they can guide the youngsters.
“It’s still too early to assess the team’s ability, but if we can work on our chemistry quickly, I think we can serve a surprise in the league.”
