| Fadhil Yunus |
DPMM FC head coach Steve Kean lavished praise on the excellent Hendra Azam after the midfielder produced a virtuoso performance in the 2-0 win over Hougang United FC at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium on Sunday.
The star midfielder provided an assist for Billy Mehmet’s first goal for the club and belted a screamer on the stroke of half-time as the Gegar Gegar men eased to their first points of the season.
Kean was quick to acknowledge the key contributions of the local star and indicated the 28-year old as one of the league’s best passers.
“I don’t think there’s a player I can think of in the league that’s got a more accurate diagonal pass where he can switch play and take it on the right hand side.
“He just has to open his body up two or three inches and he can smash a diagonal ball right onto the foot of our left winger,” Kean told the Bulletin in a post-match interview.
“So it is a great outlet for us. It is not only his goals and his assists but his overall maturity,” added Kean.
The head coach said that the former Majra man now feels “at home” in the starting eleven after a period of uncertainty when he was starting a spell as a regular in the first team last season.
“Maybe a year ago or a little longer he looked a little bit nervous when he came into the first eleven.
“Now he’s calm on the ball, he makes good decisions and he’s a top player. I’m delighted with his progress, which he has really developed into a player that I think is a top midfield player,” he said.
The former Blackburn Rovers manager also took notice of his percentage success rate as a midfielder adding that he has produced key forward passes intended for the target.
Hendra Azam (left) has been acknowledged by manager Steve Kean as one of the league’s best passers. – KHAIRIL HASSAN
“It is not just going backwards or square. In my opinion, the key of a good midfield player is making forward passes that get to the target and he’s as good as anybody we’ve got at that,” he said.
The head coach was also pleased with the contributions of new recruit Zeljko Savic who helped his team to a first clean sheet this season.
“Savic has done what he is here for which is to control the backline, communicate and clear. We don’t need defenders to be taking people on.
“We need them to be making sure we can really organise and make sure we can bolster the defensive side of the game and I thought for his debut he was excellent,” he added.
The goalkeeping position is far from secure following Wardun Yussof’s surprise omission with veteran shot-stopper Alizanda Sitom getting the nod.
Wardun has been the undisputed first choice goalkeeper for several seasons but his position came under scrutiny in the wake of the team’s successive defeats early in the season.
“He’s been excellent and he’s not here just to make up numbers. He’s here as a serious player to put pressure on Wardun,” the head coach said of the 47-year old.
“He’s been excellent in training and he makes saves, his starting position is good and tonight he was even coming out for crosses.
“I’m delighted that they (Hougang) never scored because (it is good) for his first game back with us to get a clean sheet and he made some important saves at important times,” Kean said.
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