Fandi fails to land Tampines duo

SINGAPORE- One day after he was officially named as coach of the reigning Malaysian Super League champions, Fandi is already trying to fill up his player roster for next season.

The 51-year-old has already inquired on the availability of Tampines Rovers' duo goalkeeper Hyrulnizam Juma'at and midfield schemer Shahdan Sulaiman, who was approached earlier but decided to stay with the Stags.

But reigning three-time S-League champions Tampines have already registered their players for next season's AFC Champions League campaign, and the pair are staying put.

"We can give and take - we allowed Shahdan to speak to the LionsXII earlier, but that didn't work out, and we've already signed and registered our players," said Tampines chairman Teo Hock Seng.

"We are not reversing our decision."

While Richard Bok - the S-League's most decorated coach - and former Singapore teammate, Nazri Nasir, have been touted as possible candidates to be Fandi's No. 2, the former Singapore captain is right now focused only on completing his squad.

"The most important thing right now is to concentrate on finding players, there's no real hurry to search for an assistant coach," Fandi told The New Paper yesterday.

"By the time the South-east Asia (SEA) Games is over, we'll probably have only about three weeks for pre-season, instead of the usual six to eight weeks.

"And we have to approach this very carefully."

The LionsXII have already signed 19 players - including Isa Halim, Safuwan Baharudin and Khairul Amri - for next year's competitions in Malaysia.

Of the 19, 15 players are in Aide Iskandar's SEA Games squad doing battle in Myanmar.

Fandi is looking to sign at least "four to five more players", but he knows he faces a race against time to get the players he wants.

"I checked on Hyrulnizam and Shahdan, but they've signed (with Tampines) and we must respect that contract.

LIMITED CHOICE

"Unfortunately, that will be the case with most other players who would have been snapped up by clubs already," said Fandi, who is also keeping an eye on Warriors forward Fazrul Nawaz.

"Singapore has a limited talent pool, and now, outside of the national Under-23 team and the Courts Young Lions, I don't think we'll be able to get any more players."

Shahdan would have brought some creativity to the LionsXII side that have already lost talismanic skipper and forward, Shahril Ishak, and midfield powerhouse Hariss Harun - both have left to ply their trade in Johor - but Fandi is hopeful that players already in the LionsXII bullpen will be able to make the step up.

He is counting on a breakout year for Zulfahmi Arifin and Shahfiq Ghani next season.

"Zul and Shahfiq are two young players who could be key to our attack, but it's important not just to create chances, but to score," said the former Warriors coach. "I don't think Zul has realised his full potential, yet. He may look slow, but he's not."

Fandi says he will work closely with national coach Bernd Stange in his search for players.

"Different coaches have different ideas, and with me, there will be more focus going forward," he added. "We cannot be afraid to go forward and I'm looking at a more free-moving attacking-midfield role."

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