HOME United-SAF FC
Mustaqim, Shaiful looking forward to Home clash
info@sleague.com
What more motivation do you need when you face your fiercest rivals - who happen to be tied with your team for top spot in the S.League – in what is surely, the most anticipated match of the season so far?
For SAFFC’s Mustaqim Manzur and Shaiful Esah, Friday’s match against Home United is not only shaping up to be a stern examination of the Warriors’ title credentials, it could very well be an opportunity for the two to prove the watching National Team selectors their worth.
25-year-old winger Mustaqim, however, refuses to be drawn into talk of being called up to the National Team ahead of what is expected to be a busy June of international matches.
"Friday will be the top-of the table clash and we have been preparing all week to be ready for this fixture," he said.
"I am confident that we can go for the win and consolidate our position at the top of the table. It will be tough, though, because both teams will go at it from the start."
When pressed about his National Team ambitions, Mustaqim said: "I will just do my best. I am not that hard up on making it to the National team.
"If I am called up, I consider it a blessing. If not, life goes on and I will continue doing my best.
"I also need to improve on a few aspects of my game. Obviously, I need to work on my upper body to get physically stronger. Once I beef up my body, I think I stand a better chance of getting call-ups consistently," said Mustaqim, who earned his last National Team call-up in 2005.
Like his team-mate, Shaiful also did not want to be distracted by terrace talk of him potentially galloping down the left side of midfield in a Lions shirt for the 21-year-old defender would much rather concentrate on Friday’s match.
He said, "My team is psyched up for the match. It will be a close fight but I believe we can edge Home United.
"I don’t even know if I am selected to play this Friday because we have good depth in this squad.
"The only thing I can do is that if I am selected, I will give my best in the game, be consistent and prove to the National Team coach that I am worthy of a place in the SEA Games squad," Shaiful said.
Shaiful was in the shortlist for the 2005 SEA Games squad but missing the AFF U-23 Championships in Thailand due to club commitments led to him being taken off the final squad.
But the man with the trusty left peg has not done his chances for this December’s SEA Games any harm with a string of solid performances this season already.
National Team manager Eugene Loo believes that both Mustaqim and Shaiful are quality players but they will have to put in a lot of effort if they want to play for the Lions consistently.
Loo said: "They (Mustaqim and Shaiful) will have to work their way up. There’s stiff competition in the National ‘A’ Team so they have to establish themselves in the squad if they get called up."