PERAK FC NEED TIME TO ADAPAT TO CONDITIONS AT MANJUNG STADIUM - YUSRI

IPOH, Oct 1 (Bernama) -- Perak FC admitted the need for more time to adapt to the field conditions and the atmosphere at the Manjung Municipal Council Stadium (MPM), Lumut in order to face the rest of the Super League competition this season.

 Perak FC head coach Yusri Che Lah said to ensure that it does not drag on, a series of friendly matches will be played with the local teams before Sabah's visit at the stadium on Oct 19.

Though the distance between Ipoh and Manjung is not far, the condition of the field and the atmosphere in Manjung, which is located by the sea, would indeed need a different approach and takes time.

“We need to hold a series of friendly matches to ensure that the team's performance is not disrupted due to the change in the stadium,” he said when contacted by Bernama, today. 

The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) last January offered a grant amounting to RM500,000 for grass replacement works in 14 state stadiums including the Federal Territories.

Perak became one of the states that agreed to use the grant and the process of replacing the pitch in the stadium and is expected to take until May next year to be completed.

Yusri said that currently the management is still maintaining the Perak Football Complex in Chepor as the team's main training center compared to renting any other location in Lumut for the same purpose.

“We will still train as usual in Ipoh and will only move to Lumut a day before the actual match starts. I think this method is more practical and at the same time can save the team's expenses,” he said.

He hoped that the players' performance would continue to improve to ensure that Perak FC's current position of fourth in the Super League would continue to be maintained. 

“For me, we need to maintain the tempo in the Super League where at this point we have won three matches in a row. So when this performance is maintained, I'm sure the number of supporters who will come to the stadium will also increase regardless of whether we play in Ipoh or Lumut,” he said.

On Sept 26, the media reported Perak FC in a statement announcing that an inspection session had been held and was attended by representatives of Perak FC, the Malaysian Football League (MFL), MPM, Astro and also the video assistant referee (VAR) team to assess the latest condition of the Manjung Stadium.

The last match to be played by Perak FC at the Perak Stadium is against Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) on Oct 5 in the Super League competition.

-- BERNAMA