2016 Sarawak FA season

Sarawak
2016 season
President	Posa Majais
Manager	Abdullah Julaihi
Head Coach	David Usop
Stadium	Sarawak State Stadium; (Capacity: 26,000)
Liga Super	8th
Piala FA	Second round
Piala Malaysia	Group stage
Top goalscorer	League: ; Ndumba Makeche (10); All: ; Ndumba Makeche (12)
	← 2015 2017 →

The 2016 season was Sarawak's 4th season in Liga Super the top tier of Malaysian football since being promoted in 2014. Another gloomy season campaign for Bujang Senang after another trophy drought years. With improvement in league position by finishing 8th compared to previous season, but failed in both cup competitions, loss to Perak 3–1 in FA cup and finished bottom of the group in Malaysia Cup with later Champions, Kedah as group winner and behind feeder team, T team and JDT II.

With announcing former national head coach, Datuk K Rajagopal^[1] as new coach it seems like new beginning for Sarawak with the arrival of exciting young talent from national junior team, Syahrul Azwari. Unfortunately, he 'rested' in May,^[2] in Malaysian football culture if the coach verified as 'rested' surely soon later he will be sacked and his contract terminated by mutual consent.

Team Kit

After 5 years since 2011 played with red-black AC Milan strip for home games and blue-black Internazionale for away fixture. The management decided to re-introduce all red kit for home matches,^[3] the same pattern when the team kit was sponsored by Rossi during 2000's. Whereas, yellow neon kit introduced as away kit, the all black with tribal design was chosen for alternate or third kit.^[4]

Players

First-team squad

As of 5 December 2015^[5]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	MAS	Florian Rison Laes
2	DF	MAS	Ronny Harun
3	DF	MAS	Ridwan Ma'on
4	DF	ITA	Davide Grassi
6	MF	MAS	K. Thanaraj
7	MF	MAS	J. Partiban
8	MF	MAS	Akmal Mohd Noor
9	MF	AUS	Ndumba Makeche
11	MF	MAS	Ashri Chuchu
12	DF	MAS	Ramesh Lai
13	DF	MAS	Dzulazlan Ibrahim
15	MF	MAS	K. Gurusamy
16	MF	MAS	Shahrol Saperi
17	DF	MAS	Hairol Mokhtar
18	FW	MAS	Syahrul Azwari (on loan from Kelantan)


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
19	MF	TLS	Juninho
20	FW	MAS	Shreen Tambi
21	GK	MAS	Iqbal Suhaimi
22	DF	MAS	Mazwandi Zekeria
23	MF	MAS	Dalglish Papin Test
24	DF	MAS	Dzulfadli Awang Marajeh
25	GK	MAS	Shahril Saa'ri
26	MF	MAS	Alif Hassan
27	FW	MAS	Hafis Saperi
29	DF	LBR	Teah Dennis
30	FW	BRA	Gilmar
33	MF	MAS	Shamie Iszuan
34	MF	MAS	Tommy Mawat Bada
35	DF	MAS	Rodney Akwensivie

Transfers

1st leg

In: Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	MAS	Florian Rison Laes (from youth)
3	DF	MAS	Ridwan Ma'on (from ATM)
4	DF	ITA	Davide Grassi (from Rapid București)
6	MF	MAS	K. Thanaraj (from Selangor)
8	MF	MAS	Akmal Mohd Noor (from Negeri Sembilan)
9	MF	AUS	Ndumba Makeche (from Felda United)
15	MF	MAS	K. Gurusamy (from Selangor)
18	FW	MAS	Syahrul Azwari (on loan from Kelantan)
19	MF	TLS	Juninho (from Avaí)
25	GK	MAS	Shahril Saa'ri (from T-Team)
27	FW	MAS	Hafis Saperi (from youth)
26	MF	MAS	Alif Hassan (from youth)
30	FW	BRA	Gilmar (from Kelantan)
35	DF	MAS	Rodney Akwensivie (from youth)

Out: Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	GK	MAS	Fadzley Abdul Rahim (to Sabah)
—	GK	MAS	Aidil Mohamad (to Mukah)
—	DF	LBR	Patrick Gerhardt (unattached)
—	DF	MAS	A. Varathan (to Megah Murni)
—	MF	MAS	Joseph Kalang (to Terengganu)
—	MF	MAS	Sabri Sahar (to Negeri Sembilan)
—	MF	MAS	G. Mahathevan (to Megah Murni)
—	MF	MNE	Ivan Fatić (to Sloboda Tuzla)
—	FW	AUS	Ryan Griffiths (to South China)
—	FW	IRL	Billy Mehmet (to Tampines Rovers)
—	FW	MAS	Nazri Kamal (to DRB-HICOM)
—	FW	MAS	Ikhwan Izzad (unattached)

2nd leg

In: Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
29	DF	LBR	Teah Dennis (from BYC)

Out: Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
4	DF	ITA	Davide Grassi (unattached)

Statistics

Top scorers

The list is sorted by shirt number when total goals are equal.

Rnk	Pos	No.	Player	Liga Super	Piala FA	Piala Malaysia	Total
1	MF	9	Ndumba Makeche	10	0	2	12
2	MF	19	Juninho	7	0	0	7
2	FW	30	Gilmar	7	0	0	7
4	MF	33	Shamie Iszuan	2	0	2	4
5	MF	7	J. Partiban	1	1	0	2
6	MF	15	K. Gurusamy	1	0	0	1
	MF	18	Syahrul Azwari	1	0	0	1
	FW	34	Tommy Mawat	1	0	0	1
#	Own goals			2	0	0	2
Total				32	1	4	37

References

^ "Football: Coach Rajagopal to make Sarawak feared again | The Star".
^ "Football: Rajagopal not quitting coaching after Sarawak farce | The Star".
^ "Sarawak 2016 Home Kit Released". 8 February 2016.
^ "Crocs launch bold new jerseys for 2016". 6 February 2016.
^ Sarawak FA 2016 https://sarawakcrocs.com/sarawak-fa-2016

[1] "Football: Coach Rajagopal to make Sarawak feared again | The Star".

[2] "Football: Rajagopal not quitting coaching after Sarawak farce | The Star".

[3] "Sarawak 2016 Home Kit Released". 8 February 2016.

[4] "Crocs launch bold new jerseys for 2016". 6 February 2016.

[5] Sarawak FA 2016 https://sarawakcrocs.com/sarawak-fa-2016

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