GIVE THEM TIME: File photo of Sarawak players in a recent President’s Cup match.
KUCHING: Sarawak coach Robert Alberts is of the opinion that the Sarawak junior players have a different purpose and target when they compete in the President’s Cup.
He said that other states have different development programmes and different targets when they compete at the competition.
Asked about Sarawak’s inability to chalk up any win in the junior league so far, he felt the team should not be pressured in the competition.
Alberts reminded those who follow the team’s development that the players’ main purpose in the competition should be to gain exposure.
“We have our own development programme and I am positive that it is going on the right track. Nobody should press the panic button on the President’s Cup team as they are still young,” he said to The Borneo Post yesterday.
With most of the team’s players coming from the rural areas, Alberts added that that it is a privilege for the young Crocs to taste this level of competitive football.
The average age of the players is 18.9 years, the youngest in the competition.
Alberts would like to see the team given time to develop and adapt to the life of professional football.
“It is already a good thing that these players get to compete and travel around the country in this competition. They will learn a lot from that,” he added.
Sarawak will face Perlis at home today (Mar 7) at the Stadium Negeri. The young crocs continue to hunt for their first win in this year’s President’s Cup.
The match kicks off 4.15pm.