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Julang ke puncak kemasyhuran

IRFAN BAKTI teruja membawa sinar baharu dalam skuad Gergasi Merah mulai musim depan.


BEKAS pengendali Terengganu, Irfan Bakti Abu Salim berazam membantu Sela- ngor kembali berada di ambang kemasyhuran sebaik mengesahkan bakal mengemudi gergasi Lembah Klang itu musim depan.
Jurulatih kelahiran Kelantan berusia 60 tahun itu berkata, cabaran mengendalikan pasukan sehebat Selangor sememangnya satu tanggungjawab yang cukup besar.

Justeru Irfan Bakti berkata, beliau benar-benar berharap kehadirannya musim depan mampu menterjemahkan segala impian Gergasi Merah menjadi realiti terindah, selain berdoa agar turut direstui ribuan penyokong fanatik Merah Kuning.

"Siapa yang tidak kenal Selangor, di sini kehebatan mereka seolah-olah seperti Manchester United, sebab itu saya terima (tawaran).

"Mudah-mudahan saya dapat membantu Selangor menamatkan kemarau trofi termasuk Piala Malaysia," kata Irfan Bakti.

Meskipun gagal membantu Terengganu menamatkan penantian selama sedekad apabila tewas 1-2 kepada Negeri Sembilan di pentas final Piala Malaysia (Sabtu lalu), kredi- biliti Irfan Bakti selaku jurulatih sememangnya tidak boleh dipertikai.

Walaupun kegagalan itu turut menyaksi- kan Irfan berterusan kempunan mendakap Piala Malaysia, beliau masih berjaya membantu Terengganu menjulang Piala FA mu- sim ini, selain menamatkan kedudukan di tangga kedua Liga Super.

Irfan yang memulakan kerjayanya selaku jurulatih pada 1996 dan pernah membantu kelab Indonesia, Persipura muncul juara Liga Indonesia pada 2007 memberitahu, setakat ini beliau masih belum membuat pengesa- han rasmi secara hitam putih dengan pengurusan Selangor.

"Belum bincang lagi, mungkin dua tahun, mungkin hanya setahun atau pilihan lanjutan tambahan kontrak selama setahun, semuanya bergantung dalam perbincangan itu nanti," katanya yang masih bercuti di Kota Bharu.

Mengenai pemain yang akan dipikatnya bagi menyarung jersi Selangor musim depan, Irfan enggan mengulas lanjut menge- nai perkara itu kerana yakin dengan kredi- biliti pemain-pemain Selangor yang sedia ada.
"Memang ada yang berkenan di hati te- tapi belum ada kata putus. Lagi pun saya lebih gemar mendapatkan khidmat pemain yang mempunyai kehebatan 'tersembunyi', berbanding pemain berstatus bintang.

"Malah pada masa sama, suka saya ingatkan di sini, penghijrahan saya ke Sela- ngor adalah keputusan saya sendiri dan bukannya dipengaruhi oleh tekanan mana- mana pihak," katanya yang pernah membimbing Negeri Sembilan, Perlis dan Tele- kom Melaka sebelum ini.



Oleh NAN HIDAYAT NAN AZMIE
hidayat.azmie@kosmo.com.my

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