Terengganu to work on team chemistry with one week left to go to league kick-off

---

BY        ZULHILMI ZAINAL       Follow on Twitter

---

Following the conclusion of Terengganu's pre-season friendly series in Klang Valley recently, head coach Irfan Bakti Abu Salim has admitted that he still needs to work on the team chemistry, with one week left to go before the Premier League kick-off.

"...I still have not seen our team chemistry, and we have one week left before the first match (of the Premier League). God willing, I'll work on it.

"We now have two more friendlies, against a club from Singapore (Tampines Rovers FC) and our President's Cup team, to work on the chemistry," said Irfan following his team's goalless draw against UKM FC on Thursday at the UKM Mini Stadium.

The friendly against UKM also saw the inclusion of two new foreign signings; 26-year old Argentine striker Federico Falcone and Irfan's former charge at Felda United last season, Uzbekistani midfielder Lutfulla Turaev.

But the 65-year old gaffer told the press that the Argentine could not perform as well as he could in the match, as he had just arrived and was still fatigued.

"Falcone could not prove what he's capable of in the match, as he is still fatigued and has yet to acclimatise to our climate and our gameplan.

"I may also change a few things, due to his arrival at the side," he revealed.

Goal also inquired about his decision to only bring Turaev with him to Terengganu, instead of the rest of the Fighters' foreign legion, who proved to be the backbone of Felda's second-place finish in the Super League last season.

To this he responded: "I wasn't so sure if Thiago (forward Thiago Augusto Fernandes) has fully recovered from his injury, so I am reluctant to take that risk, and went with Falcone instead."

In Terengganu's Klang Valley pre-season friendly series, they drew 1-1 against Kedah, lost 2-0 to Selangor, and drew against the university side.