IPOH: Perak goalkeeper, Muhammad Hafizul Hakim Khairul Nizam Jothy is ready to pull out all the stops to prevent Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) from lifting the Charity Shield this Saturday.
Hafizul Hakim said that he and his teammates are ready to put up their best performance in the season opener for the new Super League season which will take place at the Larkin Stadium in Johor Bahru.
According to him, even though they will be playing away from home at their opponent’s home ground, he is confident that they will go all out to get the better of the defending league champions, just as they did against Terengganu in the Malaysia Cup final last season where they emerged victorious.
"As the team’s last line of defense, I will make sure that I have a very good understanding with my defenders, and this will not be a problem as most of the players are the same as last season.
"So far our preparations have gone on well and we have been training hard under the coaches to make sure that we are at our peak,” he said before the Bos Gaurus squad leave for Johor Bahru tomorrow (Thursday).
When asked if he is ready to step up and make sure that Perak emerge victorious once more just as they did in the Malaysia Cup final last season, Hafizul said that all the players in the team are heroes because they have a good understanding among one another which makes them formidable.
He added that all the players are following the tactics and strategies devised by the coach and his position as the team’s custodian is vital in stopping JDT’s forwards from breaching his goal, which is why he prides himself on getting along very well with all his teammates, especially the defenders.
According to Hafizul Hakim, even though JDT have a lethal strike force, he is confident that Perak’s defense marshalled by team captain Shahrul Saad and former PKNS defender, 27-year-old Australian Zack Anderson will be able to deal with any threats posed by the opposition’s forwards.