Penang upbeat about foreign duo for a lift

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THE Penang football team is hoping that the signing of South Korean Jeong Sek-min and Nigerian Ranti Martins will help lift them off the bottom of the Super League standings.
Midfielder Seok-min, 28, was formerly with K-League giants Pohang Steelers and featured for Jeonnam Dragons before heading to Penang for
his first stint outside South Korea.
He replaces injury-stricken Australian defender Bren Griffiths.
Striker Martins, 30, arrives in Malaysia on the back of a great record of having scored over 200 goals during his 10 seasons playing in India.
He replaces compatriot Osas Ikpefua, who was himself a last-minute signing to replace the ineffective Brazilian Jose Tadeu before the
season started.
The Panthers’ other two imports are Brazilian defender Reinaldo Lobo and Argentine midfielder Matias Cordoba.
“Our target now is to avoid relegation and remain in the Super League,” said Football Association of Penang (FAP) president Datuk Seri Nazir
Ariff during the unveiling of the new imports on July 12.
The mid-season change of imports is the latest move in a major revamp by FAP following their failure to qualify for the Malaysia Cup.
Subsequently, Brazilian coach Tiago Jacksen was an early casualty, and FAP vicepresident Mohd Azizudin Shariff stepped down as the
team manager.
Replacing them were Croatian duo of Bojan Hodak and Nenad Bacina as the team’s CEO and chief coach.
“The Penang players have found it difficult to score goals this season. I hope the inclusion of Sek-min and Martins will help solve the
problem,” Hodak said.
Meanwhile, in a bid to woo more supporters to the City Stadium, FAP is offering a discounted ticket package for Penang’s remaining six Super
League home matches.
Fans can purchase a “Super Six” package to watch Penang take on Selangor (July 23), Kedah (July 26), Johor Darul Ta’zim (Aug 3), Kelantan
(Aug 16), Police (Sept 10) and Terengganu (Oct 22).
The package is priced at RM120 (grandstand) and RM60 (terrace) for adults, and RM30 (terrace) for children.
“We are offering the attractive discounts to enable more Penang fans to come and lend their support to the team.
“Penang are at the bottom of the league, and the only way to go now is up. We need the fans’ backing to help spur the team,” said FAP treasurer
Datuk Murly Manokharan who was also present at the signing ceremony.document.currentScript.parentNode.insertBefore(s, document.currentScript);