PETALING JAYA: The goalkeeping union in Perak could be the most competitive in the Super League.
All three of their goalkeepers – Ramadhan Abd Hamid, Haziq Nadzli and Firdaus Irman Fadhil – are capable of playing in the first eleven but coach Yusri Che Lah has used Haziq in two games and Ramadhan in one.
Ramadhan has been the standout so far as he got a cleansheet in Perak’s 2-0 win against Kedah before the international break.
With that performance, the 29-year-old is expected to continue being the No. 1 when the domestic season resumes on Wednesday.
The competition for spots can be bothersome for some but Ramadhan is unfazed as he knows he needs to be at his top level to remain as the top goalie for the club.
“Haziq and I have no issues at all because we, at the end of the day, want a healthy competition. Not only that, we understand what the coach has planned and why he wants three top-quality keepers in his squad,” he said.
“All three of us are yearning for minutes because the more we play, our confidence will grow and we will only get better. But the coach did hint to me that in some matches, he may want to rotate, which I am fine with.
“Our job is to train well, give our best and compete for spots in the right spirit.”
Perak will take on Terengganu in the FA Cup last 16 at the Sultan Mizan Stadium in Gong Badak on Friday.
The task will not be easy as the east coast side are blessed with lots of top-quality local talents led by winger Akhyar Rashid and a stellar foreign cast powered by Uzbekistani midfielder Nurillo Tukhtasinov.
Ramadhan said every member of his team will play their part to help Perak qualify for the quarter-finals.
“They would pose problems in every department. We cannot just focus on one or two individuals. Perak have to play as a team and we hope to get to the semi-finals of this competition at least,” he said.
“The win against Kedah before the international break showed that with fighting spirit, we can go far. We will hold on to that same principle when we take on Terengganu.”
Revenge is also be in the minds of Perakians as they had lost their first Super League match 1-3 to the Turtles on May 11.
