KUALA LUMPUR – Kelantan Darul Naim FC (KDNFC) aims to become the primary feeder club for the national football team through the development of its young players.
Despite boasting one of the oldest squads in the Malaysia Super League, with an average player age of 29 years old, KDNFC also possesses a significant pool of young talents in its under-19 and under-23 teams.
10 to 15 players from their youth teams made their senior team debut last season.
Former national football player Indra Putra Mahayuddin, who joined the club from Perak FC last year, currently holds the title of the oldest player in the team at 43 years old.
Speaking to Scoop, KDNFC president Rozi Muhamad stated that his management aims to utilise the players they already have and contribute to the development of talents for the national team, akin to other clubs across the country.
Rozi also believes that the players in his club possess the necessary qualities and can play a significant role in Harimau Malaya head coach Kim Pan-gon’s team.
“We have the talent within our club, and we want to maximise its potential. We prioritise giving more game time to our homegrown players and aim to continue these initiatives.
“We’ve noticed that many state clubs across the league have been producing a high number of players for Harimau Malaya, and we want to emulate that, as we also have quality players.
“The management is determined to change perceptions towards KDNFC – we aim to be the top feeder club from the East Coast.
“Kelantanese players have always been part of the national team, but the numbers have declined over the years. Hence, we need to start performing well on the pitch to get noticed.
“Even having one player from our club wear the iconic black and yellow jersey would be a great achievement. We will continue our initiatives to ensure we reach our target,” said Rozi when contacted.
Of the 26 players in the recent Harimau Malaya team for the AFC Asian Cup, 12 came from Johor Darul Ta’zim FC, four from Sabah FC, three from Selangor FC, three from Kuala Lumpur City FC, one from Negeri Sembilan FC, one from Terengganu FC, one from Indonesia’s Dewa United, and one from Thailand’s Buriram United.
Meanwhile, Rozi also revealed that the club plans to make a few foreign signings to enhance its performance and competitiveness in the upcoming Super League.
“Though we prioritise Kelantanese and youth players, we cannot deny that we also need a few foreign players to elevate our performance in such a competitive league.
“We are working on signings but can’t reveal names for now. We aim to have a total of three foreign players by mid-April,” Rozi added.
KDNFC, formerly known as Kelantan United FC (KUFC), currently has three foreign players: Uzbekistan midfielder Sirojiddin Rakhmatullev, South Korean defender Kim Deok, and Croatian centre-back Dominik Balic.
The East Coast club recently secured sponsorship worth RM600,000 from a local sports equipment and clothing manufacturer brand, PUC Sport, for the new season.
The club is also undergoing a restructuring in its coaching setup, with former national footballer Rezal Zambery Yahya being handed the role of assistant head coach.
The appointment of the new head coach will be announced by the beginning of next month.
KDNFC finished in 12th position in last season’s Super League with 17 points. – March 22, 2024