Former Cameroon Olympic striker Gerard Ambassaguy has joined struggling Pahang on loan, just two days before the May 1 deadline for registration of foreign players.
Pahang coach and manager Yunus Alif can now count on the 24-year-old Ambassaguy, who featured for Hong Kong League side Orient Yee Hope since 2000, to help Pahang finish among the top 10 in the 14-team league to get an automatic berth in the Malaysia Cup competition.
Ambassaguy comes with strong credentials. He played for Cameroon Division One club Tonnere Of Yaounde and Rangers FC between 1997 and 1999.
He then moved to Hong Kong to play for Orient Yee Hope in 2000 and 2001.
Pahang already have Russian Viatcheslav Melnikov in their side. But Melnikov has yet to regain his form.
He only made a comeback to competitive football two weeks ago after a month-long layoff because of a rib injury.
Yunus attributed Pahang’s failure thus far to an “attitude problem”.
The Elephants are in 11th place in Premier I. Last week, they were eliminated from the FA Cup, losing 4-5 on aggregate to 13th placed Negri Sembilan.
It was a painful exit because they carried a 3-2 lead into the second-round second-leg match.
“I have identified the main cause of our poor run so far. After finishing fifth in the league and reaching the Malaysia Cup semi-finals last year, the newcomers got swollen headed,” said Yunus from Kuantan yesterday.
“They have been warned. They have to change their attitude and give a committed display from now on. It is now up to them to prove their worth. There is only so much I can do in training.”
Pahang will be up against Negri again in Kuantan today and former international striker Azizul Kamaluddin will be making a return from suspension for a red card offence.
He will team up with Melnikov in attack and Yunus hopes that the duo will strike it right for Pahang.
c The Star Online
