Jelius (second left, front) at the Rhinos training session since his recent appointment as assistant team manager.
KOTA KINABALU: Jelius Ating has been spotted in the Rhinos training session Tuesday following his recent appointment as assistant team manager.
Jelius, who was head coach when the state senior football squad won the Premier League title and gained Super League promotion in 2019, has been recalled to assist the current squad to face the remaining league fixtures.
He will be reunited – albeit in a different role – with his former assistant, the current assistant head coach Burhan Ajui who has been temporarily put in charge of the senior team in place of Indonesian trainer Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto.
Kurniawan has been ‘rested’ until further notice after the Rhinos’ run of eight winless games in the league, team manager Marzuki Nasir announced recently.
Sabah FC III head coach Johnny Dominicus too was seen helping out in the squad training with the cancellation of the President Cup and Youth Cup for the second straight year.
Meanwhile, Jelius has vowed to help the team in anyway possible even when the league campaign is nearing its end.
“The management has put their faith in me and I will try my best to help the squad.
“I’ve not been with the team since the start of the season but that is not a problem.
“Sabah is our team…I’m always ready to give a helping hand,” said Jelius.
With two games left to play, Sabah FC on 19 points need only a single point from possible six to all but secure their Super League place next season.
Seventh placed Sabah will next face Selangor FC at home on September 5 before concluding the league campaign away to Perak FC on September 12.
In a related development, President Cuppers former national under-19 defender Gerald Gadit, 22, Mohd Hizaz Lokman, 21, and Naaim Firdaus Stibin, 22, have been called up to the senior team.
The trio will be among the seven players from the junior squad to train with the Rhinos. Others are Mohd Hanafi Tokyo Hasim, Sahrizan Saidin, Nureizkhan Isa Jaafar and Harith Naem.