Bring ’em on: Kedah’s new signing Manuel Hidalgo taking on two Selangor players during a friendly in Penang. — Kedah FC
PETALING JAYA: Argentinian midfielder Manuel Hidalgo can’t help feeling that he has landed in the right place to continue plying his trade in the Super League.
And Kedah’s new signing from Pahang believes he can hit new heights with the Canaries, given the passionate support of the fans during the pre-season.
“The fans’ tremendous support has really surprised me. The stadium is packed during the friendly matches and when I arrived in Alor Setar, many people greeted me. That’s something I’ve not seen in Malaysia in a while,” said Hidalgo, a former Sheffield Wednesday player.
“The supporters really love their team and that is great motivation for us to achieve something.’’
Hidalgo is aware that such fervent support also comes with high expectations, and the Kedah faithful are known to be a demanding lot.
“That kind of pressure is not an issue as I’m the kind of player who thrives on it. I’m here to score more goals and also create more chances for the team so that we can have a memorable season.’’
He also revealed that Kedah’s new coach Nafuzi Zain had been targeting him for a while and when he made the offer to sign him, he did not hesitate to pen the deal.
“Nafuzi’s kind of football suits my style of play. I always want the ball and be given the freedom with it. Nafuzi has given me that role, and I will repay his faith in me.”
Hidalgo’s signing proved that the Canaries are leaving no stones unturned in their bid to mount a serious challenge this season.
They have also beefed up the squad with former Terengganu player Manuel Ott, Brazilian forward Willian Lira, South African defender Alan Robertson, Serbian defender Bojan Ciger and Amirbek Juraboev, also a defender from Tajikistan.
Last season, they surprisingly finished a lowly eight and saw the departure of coach Aidil Sharin Sahak.
