Local players did the trick, says Dollah

Pahang coach Dollah Salleh acknowledged the agility and performance of his local players in the team surpassed the performance of imported players, especially in the 3-2 win against star-studded Johor Darul Takzim.

Taking Fauzi Rosli's agility as an example in the Super League competition last night which saw Pahang embarrass the 'dream team', Dollah said the Pekan lad's performance was highly commendable not only because he scored a brace in the match but his overall performance was commendable.

"I do not deny that many local players in Pahang can actually go far. We did field two imported players but it did not do the trick and the Tengku Muda, Tengku Abdul Rahman (Pahang FA president) suggested that local players be deployed in the second half," he told reporters after the match last night.

He said, as such, he replaced the two imported players (Nikolce Kleckarovski and Mohamed Borji) and the gamble paid off.

However, the performance of the duo and the team in the first was not that bad, and the goals scored by Johor Darul Takzim were easily conceded.

Dollah however, has no intention to rest on his team's laurel and admitted that despite the win there were some glaring weakness in the team, especially the defence.

The former international said it was still early and many areas needed to be strengthened and weaknesses rectified, to become a team to be reckoned with.

Meanwhile, attempts by journalists to get comments from Johor Darul Takzim coach Fandi Ahmad, failed.