SUS still aiming for the top six: new coach

Mohamed Shiyaz (Mohan), who recently joined Super United Sports (SUS) as a coach, has said that the team still aims to reach the top six in the Dhiraagu Dhivehi Premier League (DDPL).

This is the first time SUS is playing in the first division, and they have set their goal to finish the season in the top six. Under their most recent coach Ahmed Nashid (Naadhu), the first-timers to the DDPL have shown a stellar performance, losing just one out of six matches they have played thus far. SUS's only defeat came at the hands of reigning champions Maziya Sports and Recreation.

While Coach Naadhu was let go by SUS after a mutual dissolution of his contract, Naadhu had been insisting days prior to the announcement that he would not quit the club despite pressure from the management, and that he had no issues being dismissed if the club aimed to "win the league".

Mohan, who recently left his position as coach with Club Eagles, joins SUS while they are in fifth position in the league, having earned six points from the seven matches played, under Naadhu's instructions.

Speaking to the press before Thursday's face-off against Valencia, Mohan acknowledged that former Coach Naadhu had done excellent work to deliver satisfying results with the SUS team. He added that the SUS Management had tasked him with a long-term objective, and that he intended to change some things within the club by attempting to further elevate the team's play.

Mohan added that though the team's coaches had changed, SUS was still aiming to close the season in the top six, and that the team's management had expressed a desire to see the team's play change drastically this season.

While SUS is set to meet Valencia in a game on Thursday, Valencia were handed their first defeat in this season last week, against Da Grande Sports Club.

Speaking to the media before the SUS match, Valencia's Mohamed Athif (Aathee) said that it was critical to mentally prepare players for the next game while trailing a loss. He added that the players would still be at the same level in terms of technical skill and prowess, and that the loss would impact how psychologically prepared the team was for the game against SUS.

Aathee maintained that this would be a new experience for Valencia coaches as well.

With only one loss in the DDPL as of yet, Valencia holds the second spot on the table with 11 points behind last year's champions Maziya Sports and Recreation Club, who have secured 14 points in their run in the DDPL thus far.