New Sabah Times
KOTA KINABALU: There could be a football treat for Tawau fans during the upcoming M-League 2014 campaign, which is expected to kick off on January 24.
The possibility is there for them to become the home den to the State Premier League side, at least for the early part of next season.
The New Sabah Times Sports reliably learnt that the Sabah Football Association (Sabah FA) is looking at an alternative venue for the new season, as they want the State team to play their home games at night, and Tawau is their only option.
Although the team’s usual home den – the Likas Stadium – is fit to hold M-League matches for the new season, however, it can only hold afternoon matches due to the faulty floodlights, which is currently under repair.
The repair work, it is reliably learnt, is only expected to be completed in April, 2014.
So if the Tawau mini stadium meets all the requirements and can get the nod to hold matches at night by the FA of Malaysia, then Tawau could be the State side’s temporary home.
The FA, it is believed, has sent an official to inspect the Tawau mini stadium, although at press time, no official conclusion could be obtained.
The main issue will be the same as that of the Likas Stadium, the floodlights, where the brightness of the floodlights at all corners must be at least 1000 lux.
Hosting M-League matches is something that is not new in Tawau, as they have done it before with the last time being in 2007, for all the same reason, the floodlights problem at the Likas Stadium.
For the record, the State squad is currently under the watchful eyes of Seslija Milomir, and they will be heading to Indonesia for a two-week friendly tour on December 2, 2013 as part of their preparations for the new season.
