2017 Penang FA season explained

Club:	Penang
Season:	2017
Mgrtitle:	Head Coach
Manager:	Ashley Westwood (until 19 March) Darren Read (interim, 20 March until 23 March) Zainal Abidin Hassan (from 24 March)
Chrtitle:	President
Chairman:	Zairil Khir Johari (until 9 October) Gary Nair (interim, from 9 October)
Stadium:	Penang State Stadium
League:	Malaysia Super League
League Result:	12th (relegated)
Cup1:	Malaysia FA Cup
Cup1 Result:	Third round
Cup2:	Malaysia Cup
Cup2 Result:	DNQ
League Topscorer:	Nigel Dabinyaba and Sanna Nyassi (3)
Season Topscorer:	Nigel Dabinyaba (4)
Highest Attendance:
Lowest Attendance:
Average Attendance:	4,732
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Prevseason:	2016
Nextseason:	2018

The 2017 season is Penangs 91st competitive season, 2nd consecutive season in the top flight of Malaysian football, and 96th year in existence as a football club. The season covers the period from 1 November 2016 to 31 October 2017.

Month by month review

November 2016

On 28 November, Ashley Westwood was unveiled as the new head coach of Penang, signing a two-year contract. On 30 November, Penang received RM 4 millions allocation from the state government.

December 2016

On 1 December, Penang confirmed that Legea will be the official kit manufacturer for three years from 2017. On 5 December, Penang announced it had retained 16 players from last season.^[1] On 22 December, it was announced that on the FA Cup second round, Penang will play at away against MPKB-BRI U-BeS.^[2] On 30 December, it was announced that on the opening day, Penang will kick-off the season at away against Selangor.^[3]

January

Penang won its first pre-season match, against Felcra FC, which ended in a 2–0 victory. In the following match four days later, Penang won 2–1 against PDRM. On 9 January, Faiz Subri won the 2016 FIFA Puskás Award, becoming the first Asian to win the award. On 13 January, Penang confirmed the signings of Amirul Asyraf Suhaidi, K. Reuben, Yong Kuong Yong, Zulkhairi Zulkeply, Shazalee Ramlee, Nigel Dabinyaba, Diogo Ferreira and Andy Russell. Penang concluded its pre-season campaign with a 0–1 defeat to Nagaworld FC from Cambodia on the same day.^[4] On 18 January, Penang completed the signings of Syed Adney and G. Mahathevan, while Elias Sulaiman and Darwira Sazan were released. Penang lost 0–2 in their opening match against Selangor on 21 January at Selayang. On 27 January, Penang lost again in the league campaign against Perak.

February

Penang recorded their third and fourth consecutive loss as they lost 0–1 to T-Team at away on 4 February and Sarawak at home on 11 February. Three days later, Penang finally scored the first goal of the season in the FA Cup match against MPKB-BRI U-BeS which was also the first victory of the season. The Panthers failed to arrest their four-match defeat and goalless streaks in the league as they were demolished by Pahang at away with the score 1–6. FIFA Puskas Award winner Faiz Subri ended his year-long goal drought but could not prevent Penang from going down 3–1 to Super League leaders Kedah in Alor Star on 25 February.

March

Penang picked up their first point of the season after coming from behind to hold Melaka United to a 1–1 draw at the State Stadium on 1 March. 3 days later, Penang recorded another 1–1 draw in Shah Alam against PKNS FC. On 11 March, Penang was knocked out from the FA Cup campaign, losing 1–4 to Negeri Sembilan after extra time in Paroi. The management board mutually terminated the contract of their coach, Ashley Westwood, following a spate of poor results in the M-League. On 24 March, Zainal Abidin Hassan was unveiled as Penang's head coach to replace the former.

April

After nine attempts, Penang finally achieved their first league victory of the season after defeating Felda United 1–0 at Tun Abdul Razak Stadium on 9 April. However, the panthers failed to continue the momentum, losing 1–5 to Kelantan at home 6 days later. Penang confirmed their absence from the Malaysia Cup for the second consecutive seasons as they lost 1–2 to Johor Darul Ta'zim at home on 26 April.

May

Despite Nigel Dabinyaba's fourth goal of the season, Penang moved closer to the drop after a 2–1 home defeat to Felda United on 7 May. 8 days later, Penang re-signed Darwira Sazan and Elias Sulaiman, Andy Russell and Diogo Ferreira were released on the same day. On 18 May, Penang confirmed the signings of Azidan Sarudin and R. Surendran from Kuala Lumpur and free Agent respectively. On the next day, former Gambia international, Sanna Nyassi signed with the team. New signing, Nyassi scored a brace in his debut with Penang against Kelantan which ended 2–2 on 24 May.

June

On 7 June, Penang completed the sixth transfer of the summer transfer window, signing former Sarawak's striker, Mark Hartmann. On the next day, Brandon McDonald signed with Penang, replacing Reinaldo Lobo who is injured.

July

Penang continued the losing streak, losing 0–2 to the Super League defending champion, Johor Darul Ta'zim at Johor Bahru on 1 July.

September

On 20 September 2017, Penang has been relegated to second-tier Malaysia Premier League next year. The club's fate has been sealed following the 2–0 home defeat to T-Team.^[5]

Coaching staff

Position	Name
Head coach
Assistant coach	Darren Read
Goalkeeping coach	Lim Chuan Chin
Fitness coach	Noel Augustine
Medical Officer	K. Mathialagan
Physiotherapist	Samuel Coleman
Kit Man	Reza Irwan Khairuddin
Kit Man	Mohd Fadzly Ahmad
U-21 Team Head Coach	Manzoor Azwira Abdul Wahid
U-19 Team Head Coach	Noraffendi Taib

Squad

^[6]

Squad No.	Name	Position(s)	Date of Birth (Age)
Goalkeepers
1		GK	1986 11, df=yes
22		GK	1983 4, df=yes
25		GK	1994 3, df=yes
40	Adam Zairi Fitri Zaini U21	GK	1998 1, df=yes
Defenders
2	Mafry Balang	RB / CB / LB / DM	1984 3, df=yes
3	Darwira Sazan	CB	1988 8, df=yes
4	Brandon McDonald FP	RB / CB / DM	1986 1, df=yes
6	Yong Kuong Yong	RB / CB / LB / CM / RW / CF	1988 9, df=yes
18	Zulkhairi Zulkeply	RB / CB / LB	1995 5, df=yes
19	Mohd Redzuan Suhaidi	CB / LB / DM	1995 10, df=yes
26	Abdul Qayyum	CB	1995 8, df=yes
27	K. Reuben	RB / CB / DM	1990 4, df=yes
30	G. Mahathevan	CB / DM	1988 5, df=yes
—	Reinaldo Lobo NR	CB / DM	1988 4, df=yes
Midfielders
5		CM	1986 5, df=yes
8		DM / CM	1991 11, df=yes
11		DM / CM / RB / RW / CF	1985 3, df=yes
15		DM / CM	1994 7, df=yes
20	Rafiuddin Rodin (Captain)	CM / LB / LW	1989 8, df=yes
29		CM / AM / LW / CF	1986 4, df=yes
35	Thivandaran a/l Karnan U21	LW/LM	1999
36	Khairul Akmal Rokisham U21	DM/CM	1998 5, df=yes
37	Mohamad Norfais Johari U21	AM/ CM	1999 3, df=yes
Strikers
7	Jafri Firdaus Chew U21	RW / LW / AM / CF	1997 6, df=yes
9	Mark Hartmann FP	CF	1992 1, df=yes
10	Nigel Dabinyaba FP	RW / CF	1992 10, df=yes
12	S. Kumaahran U21	RW / LW / CF	1996 7, df=yes
13		LW / CF	1987 11, df=yes
14	Syamer Kutty Abba U21	RW / LW / CF	1997 10, df=yes
16		RW / LW / AM / CF	1989 1, df=yes
17		RW / LW / AM / CF	1994 11, df=yes
21		RW / CF	1987 9, df=yes
23		AM / CF	1982 10, df=yes

FP = Foreign player
U21 = Under-21 player
NR = Not registered

Transfers

In

Winter:

scope=col style="width:90px;"	Date		scope=col style="width:200px;"	Player	scope=col style="width:250px;"	Transferred From	Source
13 January 2017	FW	Nigel Dabinyaba	Canterbury United FC
13 January 2017	DF	K. Reuben	Kuala Lumpur FA
13 January 2017	DF	Yong Kuong Yong	Terengganu FA
13 January 2017	MF	Shazalee Ramlee	Kuantan FA
13 January 2017	DF	Zulkhairi Zulkeply	UiTM F.C.
13 January 2017	GK	Amirul Asyraf Suhaidi	UiTM F.C.
13 January 2017	MF	Diogo Ferreira	Persib Bandung
13 January 2017	DF	Andrew James Russell	South China AA
18 Jan 2017	DF	G. Mahathevan	Megah Murni F.C.
18 Jan 2017	GK	Syed Adney Syed Hussein	T-Team F.C.

Summer:

scope=col style="width:90px;"	Date		scope=col style="width:200px;"	Player	scope=col style="width:250px;"	Transferred From	Source
15 May 2017	DF	Darwira Sazan	Free agent
15 May 2017	MF	Elias Sulaiman	Free agent
18 May 2017	MF	Azidan Sarudin	Kuala Lumpur
18 May 2017	FW	R. Surendran	Free agent
19 May 2017	FW	Sanna Nyassi	Free agent
7 June 2017	FW	Mark Hartmann	Free agent
8 June 2017	DF	Brandon McDonald	Rovers FC

Out

Winter:

scope=col style="width:90px;"	Date		scope=col style="width:200px;"	Player	scope=col style="width:250px;"	Transferred To	Source
1 December 2016	DF	Mohd Fitri Omar	Kedah
1 December 2016	DF	Mazlizam Mohamad	Perlis
1 December 2016	DF	Mohd Farisham Ismail	Kelantan	loan return
1 December 2016	DF	Mat Saiful Mohamad	Retired
1 December 2016	MF	Jeong Seok-min	Released
1 December 2016	MF	Mohd Redzuan Nawi	MISC-MIFA
1 December 2016	MF	Mohd Zharif bin Hasna	Released
1 December 2016	MF	Ikhmal Ibrahim	Sime Darby F.C.
1 December 2016	MF	Matias Córdoba	PS Barito Putera
1 December 2016	MF	Mohd Fauzan Dzulkifli	PKNS FC
1 December 2016	MF	Muhd Nursalam Zainal Abidin	UiTM FC
1 December 2016	FW	Ranti Martins	SGFC Eagles Maryland
1 December 2016	GK	Khairul Amri Salehuddin	Perak
1 December 2016	GK	Mohd Firdaus Muhamad	Melaka United
19 January 2017	MF	Elias Sulaiman	Released
19 January 2017	DF	Darwira Sazan	Released

Summer:

scope=col style="width:90px;"	Date		scope=col style="width:200px;"	Player	scope=col style="width:250px;"	Transferred To	Source
15 May 2017	DF	Andrew James Russell	Tai Po FC
15 May 2017	MF	Diogo Ferreira	Mohun Bagan AC

Competitions

Overview

Competition

Record

Super League

FA Cup

Total

Super League

See main article: 2017 Malaysia Super League.

Matches

FA Cup

See main article: 2017 Malaysia FA Cup.

Statistics

Squad statistics

	Pos	Player	Super League		FA Cup		Malaysia Cup		Total
	Pos	Player	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK	Syed Adney	7	–	1	–	–	–	8	–
2	DF	Mafry Balang	18	–	1	–	–	–	19	–
3	DF	Darwira Sazan	—	–	–	–	–	–	—	–
4	DF	Brandon McDonald	8	–	–	–	–	–	8	–
5	MF	Azidan Sarudin	5(4)	–	–	–	–	–	5(4)	–
6	DF	Yong Kuong Yong	7(2)	–	–	–	–	–	7(2)	–
7	FW	Jafri Chew	7(5)	1	–	–	–	–	7(5)	1
8	MF	Syukur Saidin	5(3)	1	2	–	–	–	7(3)	1
9	FW	Mark Hartmann	7(1)	2	–	–	–	–	7(1)	2
10	FW	Nigel Dabinyaba	16(1)	3	2	1	–	–	18(1)	4
11	MF	Mohd Azrul Ahmad	12(4)	–	–	–	–	–	12(4)	–
12	FW	S. Kumaahran	16(2)	2	2	–	–	–	18(2)	2
13	FW	Mohd Faiz Subri	10(10)	2	1(1)	–	–	–	11(11)	2
14	FW	Syamer Kutty Abba	20(1)	–	1(1)	–	–	–	21(2)	–
15	MF	Shazalee Ramlee	0(1)	–	–	–	–	–	0(1)	–
16	FW	Sanna Nyassi	8	3	–	–	–	–	8	3
17	FW	Faizat Ghazli	12(4)	–	2	–	–	–	14(4)	–
18	DF	Zulkhairi Zulkeply	9(3)	–	0(1)	–	–	–	9(4)	–
19	DF	Redzuan Suhaidi	4(5)	–	–	–	–	–	4(5)	–
20	MF	Rafiuddin Rodin	13(1)	1	1	–	–	–	14(1)	1
21	FW	Failee Ghazli	1(2)	–	–	–	–	–	1(2)	–
22	GK	Sani Anuar Kamsani	8(1)	–	1	–	–	–	9(1)	–
23	FW	R. Surendran	0(3)	–	–	–	–	–	0(3)	–
25	GK	Amirul Asyraf	7(1)	–	–	–	–	–	7(1)	–
26	DF	Abdul Qayyum	—	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
27	DF	K. Reuben	12(2)	–	2	–	–	–	14(2)	–
30	DF	G. Mahathevan	3	–	1	–	–	–	4	–
35	MF	S. Thivandaran	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
36	MF	Khairul Akmal Rokisham	3(3)	–	–	–	–	–	3(3)	–
37	MF	Nurfais Johari	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
40	GK	Adam Zairi Fitri	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
–	DF	Reinaldo Lobo	9	1	2	1	–	–	11	2
Players who left the club in May transfer window or on loan
5	MF	D. Ferreira	7	–	1	–	–	–	8	–
23	DF	Andy Russell	8	–	2	–	–	–	10	–

Goalscorers

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

width=10		width=10		width=10		width=150	Player	width=50	Super League	width=50	FA Cup	width=50	Malaysia Cup	width=50	Total
1	FW	10	Nigel Dabinyaba	3	1	–	4
2	FW	16	Sanna Nyassi	3	0	–	3
3	DF	4	Reinaldo Lobo	1	1	–	2
	FW	9	Mark Hartmann	2	0	–	2
	FW	12	S. Kumaahran	2	0	–	2
	FW	13	Mohd Faiz Subri	2	0	–	2
7	FW	7	Jafri Chew	1	0	–	1
	MF	8	Mohd Syukur Saidin	1	0	–	1
	DF	20	Rafiuddin Rodin	1	0	–	1
Own goal				0	0	–	1
Total				16	2	–	18

Clean sheets

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

width=10		width=10		width=200	Player	width=50	Super League	width=50	FA Cup	width=50	Malaysia Cup	width=50	Total
1	22	Sani Anuar	1	1	–	2
2	25	Amirul Asyraf	1	0	–	1
3	1	Syed Adney	0	0	–	0
Total			2	1	–	3

Disciplinary record

1 point and 3 points are allocated to each yellow card and red card respectively for ranking purposes.

Summary

Games played	24 (22 Super League, 2 FA Cup)
Games won	4 (3 Super League, 1 FA Cup)
Games drawn	3 (3 Super League)
Games lost	17 (16 Super League, 1 FA Cup)
Goals scored	18 (16 Super League, 2 FA Cup)
Goals conceded	47 (43 Super League, 4 FA Cup)
Goal difference	—29 (—27 Super League, —2 FA Cup)
Clean sheets	3 (2 Super League, 1 FA Cup)
Yellow cards	28 (26 Super League, 2 FA Cup)
Red cards	2 (2 Super League)
Most appearances	Syamer Kutty Abba (23 Appearances)
Top scorer	Nigel Dabinyaba (4 goals)
Winning Percentage	Overall: 4/24 (16.66%)

References

Notes and References

Web site: 16 Pemain Yang Dikekalkan Untuk Saingan Liga Super 2017. FA Penang. 5 December 2016.
Web site: Piala FA 2017. FA Penang. 22 December 2016.
Web site: Super League 2017. FA Penang. 30 December 2016.
Web site: Penang shaping up well but lack the sharpness in attack, says new coach. The Star. 17 January 2017.
http://football-tribe.com/asia/2017/09/21/penang-relegated-second-tier-malaysia-league Penang relegated to second-tier Malaysia League
Web site: Players. Penang FA (Twitter). 9 December 2016.