Perak select strong team

Perak FA will send a full-strength team to the Friendship Cup which starts in Dhaka on November 28, confirmed organising committee secretary Badal Roy yesterday.
"The Malaysians have sent their players' list and we believe it would be a different type of team. They are full professionals and are taking this football tournament very seriously," said Badal yesterday.
Two-time Malaysian League and seven-time Cup champions Perak will make their AFC Cup debut next year and their club president in a message told that they are taking this event as preparation for the Asian club competition.
Coached by England's Steve Darby, Perak -- who finished runners-up in both the League and Cup last season -- have three Chileans players in side including Mario Berrios, who played for the Chile Under-20 national team in the 2001 FIFA Youth Championship.
Out of four current Malaysian internationals in the side, they will bring Chang Wing Hoong, Hardi Bin Jaafar and captain Shahrul Azhar, who is a highly influential player for Perak but is perhaps more known for his fiery temperament. Azhar was once banned 12 months for his antics against the fourth official after receiving a red card against MPPJ FC.
The two ex-internationals are Khalid Bin Jamlus and Nanthakumar Kalliappan, who represented the national side against Brazil and Manchester United in friendlies.
However, Perak's players' list for the five-team Friendship Cup -- also involving Kolkata Mohammedan and Dhaka heavyweights Abahani and Mohammedan -- excluded current national goalkeeper Nasril Nourdin, the 21-year-old who was linked for a transfer to English Premiership side Blackburn Rovers.
Badal Roy also hoped that the Nepalese side would be a competitive side.
"Friends Club have a number of Nepalese internationals and Nepal Football Association president Ganesh Thapa, who played for them in his earlier days, picked the team for us.
"Ganesh has been very helpful in organising this tournament. But we owe one to National Sports Council (NSC) chairman General Moeen U Ahmed, who consented to become our chief patron," said Badal.
"General Moeen has often said about revival of football in the country and his messages have been our inspiration. It is difficult for people like us, who are not associated with the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), to organise such an event.
"But with help of BFF, NSC and the Bangladesh Olympic Associa-tion, we have prepared well."
The former national football captain added that all the foreign teams are ready to fly to Bangladesh and already applied for visas.
"Some people are trying to say that there is political ambition behind organising this tournament with the BFF election coming soon. It is not true. We haven't hosted an international meet for over five years and we just want to close the gap.
"It will not only revive the popularity of the game but also give us a chance to strengthen our organisational structure. We want all concerned football organisers and players to help us make it a real success.
"A team from Thailand also wanted to participate but we could not accommodate them due to time restriction and budget. We are happy to see that foreign teams are still interested to play here. The AFC has already asked for the bylaws of the tournament, which means it would be recognised internationally."
Indian giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan had to cancel their participation in the eleventh hour as the schedule of the Indian National League was hastened.
The organising committee's main concern, however, now is to lure a sponsor within a short time.
"The finance committee is handling this matter and we are hopeful that one of the mobile phone operators of the country would come forward within a couple of days," Badal added.