KUALA LUMPUR – Veteran striker Ifedayo Olusegun is no stranger to the local football scene, celebrated for his lethal finishes, speed, strength and remarkable goal tally over the past seven years in Malaysia.
The 33-year-old Super League Golden Boot winner in 2020 and 2021 surprised many by opting to join PDRM FC after playing for giants like Selangor and Kedah.
However, the Nigerian with a Bahrain passport, who has learned tough lessons from teams plagued by financial issues like Melaka United FC, has not been the same with PDRM this season.
He has struggled for goals, assists and overall attacking contributions for the club.
Speaking to Scoop, newly appointed PDRM head coach P. Maniam said it will take some time for fans to see Olusegun hit top form, citing that the superstar signing is still adapting to the team after dealing with several injuries over the past few months.
For the record, Olusegun has scored a total of 134 goals in his seven-year career in Malaysia, mostly for the Red Giants, where he scored 100 goals in 43 appearances for the club between 2019-2021.
“I think we all need to calm down and give him the time he deserves. He has been going through a lot, especially with his back-to-back injuries. On top of that, he has also been diagnosed with fevers, which have affected his preparations.
“Just imagine if he were fully fit? I can be very sure that he would be a goal-scoring machine for us. He has only scored three goals so far with the limited games he has played. I can proudly say that he has been contributing whenever he steps onto the pitch.
“He’s a quality player, and that’s the reason why I signed him in the first place. The team looks positive when he’s around, and they love playing together with him.
“He will definitely start scoring more goals in the days to come as he knows his duties very well. As a coach, I will also make sure that his teammates provide him with the services he needs so that he can increase his goal-scoring tally,” said Maniam.
Olusegun, who joined PDRM from Kedah this season, has so far made five appearances for the Cops.
In their sixth appearance in Malaysian top flight, PDRM FC finished in eighth place last season with 37 points, narrowly missing out on the 2024/25 Asean Club Championship group stage (AFF Shopee Cup) by just one point behind Kuala Lumpur City FC, who finished seventh with 38 points.
The Cops currently sit 11th in the Super League with five points. – August 3, 2024
