KUCHING: Kuching City FC head coach Aidil Sharin Sahak has called for patience from the club’s supporters as The Cats continue to compete across domestic and continental competitions.
His appeal came after Kuching City were held to a goalless draw by Kelantan City FC in the first leg of their Malaysia FA Cup quarter-final at Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium, Kelantan last night (Sept 20).
The result came three days after Kuching City opened their Asian Champions League Two (ACL2) Group H campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Cambodian side Phnom Penh Crown.
Aidil said the team had been under considerable physical and mental demands after playing eight consecutive matches away from home.
“Football is nothing without fans. Look at today, Kelantan. Why do they have more energy? Because the fans are pushing them. The fans are always behind them.
“Even though they are not playing fantastic football, when they make one good clearance, you can hear the roar. That will give them more energy,” he said after the match.
Aidil said the same support could make a significant difference for Kuching City, particularly as the team continues to face the demands of a congested schedule.
He also appealed to supporters to be patient with the team, pointing out that the club was experiencing challenges of this scale for the first time.
“Kuching City, you must understand, this is their first time to face all these challenges.
“Definitely, I hope the fans must be patient with the team because everything, we are — the club is new,” he said.
Despite the recent setbacks, Aidil stressed that Kuching City remains in contention across their competitions.
“Before this, nobody talked about Kuching City, but now we are here, we are giving our best. I don’t think we are doing badly.
“We are not losing in the league, we are still second. In the cup, we are still open. Even the FA Cup, we are still open,” he said.
Kuching City will have the opportunity to progress in the FA Cup when they host Kelantan City in the second leg on Oct 10.
