Awang Mahyan Awang Mohamed
KUCHING (April 15): Sarawak United’s fine run in the Malaysian league is good for Sarawak football, said Awang Mahyan Awang Mohamed.
According to the local footballing legend, thanks to Sarawak United’s impressive performance in the second-tier Premier League so far, Sarawakian fans can now dream of seeing a team from Sarawak playing in the Super League next season.
“I believe that the Sarawak United is heading the right direction in their quest to play in the Malaysian top flight because a team from Sarawak had not been playing in the Malaysian top flight for so long,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.
For the record, the last time a team from Sarawak played in the Super League was in 2017.
“We must back the team if what the team is doing is right. I also believe that Sarawak United will give the Sarawak football and its fans something to be proud of,” the former Sarawak coach added.
Although long retired Awang Mahyan continues to inspire pride and passion among local fans for leading a Sarawak football revolution in the 1980s.
His name is synonymous with the legendary Ngap Sayot spirit during a golden era when he transformed an underdog Sarawak team into a force to be feared and reckoned with in the Malaysian league.
On the issue of some fans lamenting the lack of homegrown players in the Sarawak United squad, he said that sort of mentality should be a thing of the past.
“Just look at the clubs in Europe’s top flight. I believe they have more players who are not even from the same country (where the club is based), let alone the region in the country that the club is from,” he explained.
Instead he praised Football Association of Sarawak (FAS) president Datuk Posa Majais for his role in attracting the right talents and assembling a good management and coaching team for Sarawak United.
This is what Sarawakian football fans would love to see from anyone who holds the responsibility of the development of Sarawak football, he pointed out.
“He (Posa) is doing the right thing now and I hope that Sarawak United and Sarawak football as a whole will continue to be successful under his leadership in the FAS,” he added.
Sarawak United are on an unbeaten run and currently sit on top of the Premier League with 16 points after playing six matches.
They will next play PDRM FC on Friday (April 16) at 10pm at the Hang Jebat Stadium.