PETALING JAYA, Dec 14 — Super League team Petaling Jaya City FC (PJ City FC) today announced that they have signed up former national striker Darren Lok from Terengganu FC (TFC) and two other players for the 2021 Malaysian League (M-League).
PJ City FC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal believed that the inclusion of the 29-year-old Darren into P. Maniam’s squad would boost their strike force.
Subahan said the other two who joined the Phoenix squad were ex-international Ahmad Khairil Anuar Ahmad Zamri from Perak and K. Prabakaran from Selangor. Felda United youngsters Muhammad Faiz Mazlan, 23, and Muhammad Syahmi Zamri, 20, had earlier joined PJ City FC for the new season.
“We’re quite excited to have him (Lok) and (skipper) K. Gurusamy who has been a key player for our set-up. We believe that Gurusamy and other players that we’ve signed will be able to rise to the occasion, besides creating some surprises for next season,” he told a press conference at the club’s headquarters here.
The England-born Darren said he was delighted to join PJ City FC and vowed to give his best for the Klang Valley outfit.
He said the lack of playing time during his one-year stint with TFC this season was among the reasons for his decision to move to PJ City FC.
“As soon as I heard this team will be using an all local line-up for next season, this was appealing to me.
“I’ve been in Malaysia for about five years, and I’ve seen plenty of qualities that the Malaysian players have. It’s not going to be easy as I need to work harder (to earn a place in the main squad), but I’m really excited for the new challenge with this team,” he added.
Meanwhile, Maniam said the club was finalising the full squad for the 2021 M-League, which would start with the Charity Cup match between reigning Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim and Super League runners-up Kedah at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri, Johor on Feb 26.
PJ City FC finished in eighth place in their debut in the Super League in 2019, before rising to seventh place this season under coach K. Devan, who has now joined Negri Sembilan. — Bernama
