KUALA LUMPUR: Before he set foot to play in the Malaysian Premier League, PKNP FC forward Shahrel Fikri Fauzi admitted he felt somewhat nervous and unsure about the new surroundings where he would ply his trade. However, the 23-year-old forward’s gamble paid off when he rose to the occasion in his first season in the second tier of Malaysian football by helping PKNP be among the frontrunners in the Premier League apart from marching to the quarter-finals of the Malaysia Cup last season. At the same time, Shahrel admits that the award he won also proved that his team can no longer be viewed as minnows. “I see such an award as motivation which shows that playing in the second tier of Malaysian football has never been an obstacle or stumbling block to do and play as well as we can when out on the field of play. “Many had written us off initially at the beginning of the season but I am very happy to have proved them wrong and help the team in showing everyone what we’re really capable of,” said Shahrel.

Source: New Strait Times December 24, 2017 10:07 UTC