Developing sustainable partnership - Kennedy and Wleh

Remember the Liberian trio Josiah Seton, Frank Seator and Alex Freeman?

Seton (with Sabah) and Seator (Perak, Selangor) were a nightmare for opposing defenders while Freeman's left peg left friends and foes alike gasping for more when he was with Kelantan and Selangor. All three helped set the M-League alight at various times.

Now that Sime Darby FC have unveiled their team for the upcoming season, I'm expecting current Liberian internationals - Patrick Wleh and Sengbah Kennedy - to help their new team mates make the step up. I was told the duo come cheap...preliminary reports suggest Kennedy supplies the ammunition and Wleh to pull the trigger...

Kennedy (left) and Wleh...Wleh is called Ronaldinho, so if he can conjure up half of the magic demonstrated by the real Mccoy when he reigned supreme in Barcelona, SDFC may earn a berth in the Super League sooner than expected.

Below is the Press release.

Kuala Lumpur, 27 December 2011: Sime Darby Football Club (Sime Darby FC), which finished fifth in its debut year in the Malaysian Premier League 2011, has introduced a much stronger team for the 2012 season.


In addition to 13 new local signings, the team has also recruited two Liberian internationals – Patrick Ronaldinho Wleh (striker) and Sengbah Kennedy (midfielder) – to beef up the team for the Premier League competition.


Sime Darby FC retained 10 players from the 2011 season and promoted two of its President Cup’s players to the senior team. Sime Darby FC is backed by Malaysia’s biggest conglomerate, Sime Darby Berhad.


Acting Sime Darby FC President, YM Dato’ Seri Tengku Ahmad Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah, said the addition of new local and international players will enable the team to face established teams in the 2012 Premier League, including the Armed Forces (ATM), Pahang and Perlis.


“We believe the new as well as existing players will be able to compete with the more established players from other teams, especially ATM and Pahang. We have a young squad as the majority of the players are 25 years and below,” Tengku Ahmad Shah said at the media introduction of Sime Darby FC players for the 2012 season today.


Of the 25 registered players, 18 players are 25 years and below. The two Liberian internationals, Patrick Ronaldinho Wleh and Sengbah Kennedy, are 21 years and 24 years old, respectively.


The team has had several friendlies in the past one month, including playing against Super League teams such as Negeri Sembilan, Terengganu and Selangor. It also conducted a playing tour of Medan, Indonesia and played against PSMS Medan and PSBL Langsa.


Sime Darby FC, formed on 22 January 2010, became champions of the FAM Cup in 2010 and was promoted to the Premier League in 2011. During the 2011 Premier League season, the team was placed as high as second in the table standing before finishing fifth in the 14-team competition. In the play-off for the 2011 Malaysia Cup competition, Sime Darby FC beat Pahang 6-0 in aggregate.


Sime Darby FC will open its Premier League campaign this year with a home match against Harimau Muda B on 9 January 2012 at the Selayang Municipal Council Stadium. For the FA Cup competition, Sime Darby FC will play against Sabah on 19 February 2012, also at the Selayang Municipal Council Stadium.


Sime Darby FC is coached by Ismail Zakaria, formerly the Technical Director of Selangor FA. He is assisted by two former Malaysian internationals, Abdul Ghani Malik (Assistant Coach) and Shaharuddin Ahmad Mokshinon (Goalkeeper Coach).