KUALA LUMPUR – With more time, Perak FC is confident that Yusri Che Lah can lead the club back to its golden era in the years to come.
The 47-year-old former national midfielder, who took over the head coaching role from Datuk Lim Teong Kim last year, guided the “Bos Gaurus” to an 11th-place finish with 22 points in the Malaysia Super League last season.
The club had made a comeback to the Super League after being relegated to the M3 League in the 2021/2022 season.
Speaking to Scoop, Perak FC’s chief executive officer, Bobie Farid Shamsudin, said that Yusri is the right coach who knows how to handle young players as compared to his predecessors.
The average age of Perak’s squad is 23 years old, with the majority of its players emerging from its own under-23 team.
“Perak is an iconic club that has a rich history of winning tournaments, and having a club legend like Yusri Che Lah as our head coach, who has the experience of winning tournaments, is a big boost for the club and the players.
“We decided to retain Yusri to empower a young coach who understands the pulse of the young players so that he can bring out the best in them. This approach is being adopted by other clubs across the country as well.
“Yusri has maintained a healthy environment in the dressing room, and he’s the right person to lead this club back to its former glory.
“While some doubt Yusri’s capabilities, we need to give him time and provide him with whatever he needs before judging him.
“When Mikel Arteta took over Arsenal FC, many doubted him, but look at him now… he transformed the team into English Premier League contenders.
“So Yusri needs time, he knows all Perak players very well, and within three to four years, we will start seeing results,” said Bobie when contacted.
At the same time, Bobie said that the club aims to play more preseason matches to ensure they achieve a mid-table finish in their Super League campaign.
“This season, we have put in a lot of effort to get the best teams in the region and the country to play in the preseason matches.
“We’ve played several games in Singapore, and we’re reaching out to several other clubs across Southeast Asia in the coming days.
“After the Hari Raya break, we will face Polis Diraja Malaysia FC on April 20, Negeri Sembilan FC on April 24, and we’ll have matches against Kedah FC on April 27 and 28. And, we’re arranging another friendly on April 30,” Bobie added.
Last month, Perak FC thrashed Geylang International FC of Singapore 3-0 in a pre-season match at Perak Stadium.
Yusri has made three foreign signings – Luka Milunovic from Serbia, Jesper Nyholm from the Philippines, and Adilet Kanybekov from Kyrgyzstan – to strengthen their team for the new season.
They will be without Nasrol Amri, who left for Kelantan Darul Naim FC, and goalkeeper T. Shaheeswaran, who moved to Negeri Sembilan FC.
Bos Gaurus boast a prestigious history in the national football landscape, having clinched the Super League twice (2002 and 2003), the FA Cup twice (1990 and 2004), and the Malaysia Cup on eight occasions (1926, 1931, 1957, 1967, 1970, 1998, 2000, and 2018).
This season’s Super League campaign is expected to begin on May 10. – April 9, 2024