Football: Stanley wants to get KL’s finances in order before announcing team plans

PETALING JAYA: Kuala Lumpur will be keeping a close eye on their wallets this season as chief executive officer Stanley Bernard Samuel stays mum over the club’s new team for Super league.

Stanley has his priorities in place, as he wants to settle the outstanding debts brought over from 2023 before revealing what the club have been working on in the off-season.

Stanley said a big announcement would be made in two weeks, but not before the club ensure all their finances were in order.

He said they would reveal new signings and name their new head coach at Kuala Lumpur.

Currently, Croatian Nenad Bacina is at the helm after compatriot Bojan Hodak left the club in July to coach Indonesian side Persib Bandung.

“We have multiple frameworks in place based on the budget that we will have. If we have a strong budget, we can bring in a coach who has something special and can dig deep,” he said when met at the Cheras Football Stadium yesterday. “We haven’t made any announcements just yet due to financial challenges.”

Stanley said the team launch has been set on April 20, with the pre-season fixtures set to take place between April 20 and 25.

Stanley remained confident that team captain Paulo Josue would stick with the club through thick and thin despite having to sell several players, including Romel Morales, to ease their financial burden. The naturalised Brazilian Josue has been with the club for eight years, and Stanley says the 34-year-old will stick with the City Boys.

“Paulo still has a contract with us, and he has been here since the club were called Kuala Lumpur FA,” he said.

“We have all heard that he wants to retire, but the situation has changed since he has gotten more accurate information.

“I don’t think he is going to move anywhere anytime soon, his heart is here with the club,” said Stanley.

Since he arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Josue has gone on to make 125 appearances for the City Boys, scoring 45 goals. He has also played in the Harimau Malaya colours 12 times with five goals under his name.