Coach Irfan admits Kelantan lack Super League quality after defeat

Kuala Lumpur - Kelantan Red Warrior coach Irfan Bakti has admitted his team lacks the necessary quality to compete in the Super League following their 3-1 defeat to KL City. This was after four consecutive losses in the league. The Red Warrior coach highlighted the absence of experienced players as a significant issue, stating that most of his players were participating in the Super League for the first time, with only a few possessing top-tier football experience.

Irfan emphasized that this lack of experience could not be used as an excuse for their inability to secure victories. He stressed that the team must give their best effort, which they have been doing throughout the competition. The coach pointed out tactical weaknesses, particularly in defending high balls and dead-ball situations, as contributing factors to the loss.

He mentioned that the team's players were giving too much space to the opposing team and losing high-ball battles. The player-registration constraints were identified as the main obstacle to improving these weaknesses. Irfan noted that the management has tried various methods to resolve this issue but has not found a satisfactory solution.

Despite the defeat, which brought Kelantan to their first points of the campaign after three losses, they managed to score through Musa Philips in the 44th minute. However, KL City staged a comeback, scoring twice through Adam Nor Azlin and Paulo Josue in the 51st and 81st minutes, respectively, to secure their second victory of the season.

KL City coach Datuk Dollah Salleh praised his players' discipline and fighting spirit, stating that the victory boosted his confidence in the ability of the reserve players given an opportunity to play.