Kuching City FC keen to retain head coach Aidil

KUCHING (March 25): Datuk Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman has indicated that negotiations to retain Aidil Sharin Sahak as head coach of Kuching City FC are progressing well, with an announcement expected soon.

The Kuching City FC chairman, who is also president of the Football Association of Sarawak, Tupong assemblyman and Chief Political Secretary to the Sarawak Premier, said discussions with the coach have been positive.

“We have held discussions with him and the response has been positive. He is happy with Kuching City FC and we will finalise this in the near future,” he said when met by reporters during his Hari Raya open house at Dewan Hikmah in Petra Jaya on Tuesday.

He said that securing the head coach remains the club’s top priority before making decisions on new player signings for next season.

“On new player acquisitions, our principle at Kuching City FC is to give 100 per cent authority to the head coach. It depends on his strategy and direction for the coming season, and we will discuss with him.

“But the most important thing is to secure the head coach first,” Fazzrudin stressed.

Speculation over Aidil’s future has intensified in recent months following his impressive tenure which has seen Kuching City emerge as one of the top teams in the Malaysia Super League and reach its first-ever Malaysia Cup semi-final.

While the coach had previously indicated he was keeping his options open despite being happy in Kuching, the club management has been keen to retain his services amid reported interest from other clubs.

On team preparations, Fazzrudin said Kuching City will play a friendly match against Hougang United, a team from Singapore, on March 28 as part of their build-up for the Malaysia Cup semi-final first leg.

Kuching City are set to face Selangor FC in the first leg at Petaling Jaya on April 5.

Fazzrudin called on Kuching City FC supporters, as well as Sarawakians in Peninsular Malaysia, to come out and support the team when they meet Selangor.