Nabil Makes The Leap
Grilled International raised a Busy Bees academy player to the senior squad proper for the first time in six seasons, with the last example being reserve goalkeeper
Hj Sazwan bin Abu Azni under Didi Reidenbach. The very special lad would be 17 year-old striker
Nabil bin Mohd Zulkhairi, who head coach
Sazwan bin Hj Muhd Salleh insisted was the best pure forward he had overseen at the Bees, by some distance.
"Not to disrespect any of the boys, but putting the ball into the net is one of the hardest skills to impart at any level - and Nabil just knows how to do it." Sazwan gushed. "With both feet, with his head, from afar, or right in front of goal with two defenders on his back... he simply manages to hit upon the correct solution, more often than not!"
Nabil's well above-average accelaration and a hundred metre sprint time of comfortably under thirteen seconds didn't hurt either, which had the coaching staff eagerly foist the Number Eleven jersey - last worn by another local in Hesky Atmanegara - on the teenager. "No pressure at all." Sazwan smiled. "We'll start him out in the friendlies, and take it slow."
The newest member of Grilled International would just be relieved to take the next step, after being turned down first by current III.9 leaders Buruneng, and then Division Two side Selection from Switzerland, who however have just entered administration. "Those were quite big blows to my confidence." he confided. "But Mr. Daud saved me then."
It was however also the end of the road for a number of Nabil's former teammates, with Ilham bin Hj Saiful Azmi, Lee Chang Soon, Abu Bakar bin Hj Affindi and Hj Hardi bin Hj Khatib released from their temporary training contracts. 18 year-old senior Sabli bin Hj Danial, himself a much-watched striker in his time with the Bees, would be given what is probably a final extension, together with several other young hopefuls.
