The 2016 season was Sarawak's 4th season in Liga Super the top tier of Malaysian football since being promoted in 2014. Another gloomy season campaign for Bujang Senang after another trophy drought years. With improvement in league position by finishing 8th compared to previous season, but failed in both cup competitions, loss to Perak 3–1 in FA cup and finished bottom of the group in Malaysia Cup with later Champions, Kedah as group winner and behind feeder team, T team and JDT II.

With announcing former national head coach, Datuk K Rajagopal^[1] as new coach it seems like new beginning for Sarawak with the arrival of exciting young talent from national junior team, Syahrul Azwari. Unfortunately, he 'rested' in May,^[2] in Malaysian football culture if the coach verified as 'rested' surely soon later he will be sacked and his contract terminated by mutual consent.

Team Kit

After 5 years since 2011 played with red-black AC Milan strip for home games and blue-black Internazionale for away fixture. The management decided to re-introduce all red kit for home matches,^[3] the same pattern when the team kit was sponsored by Rossi during 2000's. Whereas, yellow neon kit introduced as away kit, the all black with tribal design was chosen for alternate or third kit.^[4]

Players

First-team squad

As of 5 December 2015^[5]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  MAS Florian Rison Laes 2 DF  MAS Ronny Harun 3 DF  MAS Ridwan Ma'on 4 DF  ITA Davide Grassi 6 MF  MAS K. Thanaraj 7 MF  MAS J. Partiban 8 MF  MAS Akmal Mohd Noor 9 MF  AUS Ndumba Makeche 11 MF  MAS Ashri Chuchu 12 DF  MAS Ramesh Lai 13 DF  MAS Dzulazlan Ibrahim 15 MF  MAS K. Gurusamy 16 MF  MAS Shahrol Saperi 17 DF  MAS Hairol Mokhtar 18 FW  MAS Syahrul Azwari (on loan from Kelantan)

No. Pos. Nation Player 19 MF  TLS Juninho 20 FW  MAS Shreen Tambi 21 GK  MAS Iqbal Suhaimi 22 DF  MAS Mazwandi Zekeria 23 MF  MAS Dalglish Papin Test 24 DF  MAS Dzulfadli Awang Marajeh 25 GK  MAS Shahril Saa'ri 26 MF  MAS Alif Hassan 27 FW  MAS Hafis Saperi 29 DF  LBR Teah Dennis 30 FW  BRA Gilmar 33 MF  MAS Shamie Iszuan 34 MF  MAS Tommy Mawat Bada 35 DF  MAS Rodney Akwensivie

Transfers

1st leg

In: Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  MAS Florian Rison Laes (from youth) 3 DF  MAS Ridwan Ma'on (from ATM) 4 DF  ITA Davide Grassi (from Rapid București) 6 MF  MAS K. Thanaraj (from Selangor) 8 MF  MAS Akmal Mohd Noor (from Negeri Sembilan) 9 MF  AUS Ndumba Makeche (from Felda United) 15 MF  MAS K. Gurusamy (from Selangor) 18 FW  MAS Syahrul Azwari (on loan from Kelantan) 19 MF  TLS Juninho (from Avaí) 25 GK  MAS Shahril Saa'ri (from T-Team) 27 FW  MAS Hafis Saperi (from youth) 26 MF  MAS Alif Hassan (from youth) 30 FW  BRA Gilmar (from Kelantan) 35 DF  MAS Rodney Akwensivie (from youth)

Out: Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. No. Pos. Nation Player — GK  MAS Fadzley Abdul Rahim (to Sabah) — GK  MAS Aidil Mohamad (to Mukah) — DF  LBR Patrick Gerhardt (unattached) — DF  MAS A. Varathan (to Megah Murni) — MF  MAS Joseph Kalang (to Terengganu) — MF  MAS Sabri Sahar (to Negeri Sembilan) — MF  MAS G. Mahathevan (to Megah Murni) — MF  MNE Ivan Fatić (to Sloboda Tuzla) — FW  AUS Ryan Griffiths (to South China) — FW  IRL Billy Mehmet (to Tampines Rovers) — FW  MAS Nazri Kamal (to DRB-HICOM) — FW  MAS Ikhwan Izzad (unattached)

2nd leg

In: Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. No. Pos. Nation Player 29 DF  LBR Teah Dennis (from BYC)

Out: Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. No. Pos. Nation Player 4 DF  ITA Davide Grassi (unattached)

Statistics

Top scorers

The list is sorted by shirt number when total goals are equal.

Rnk	Pos	No.	Player	Liga Super	Piala FA	Piala Malaysia	Total
1	MF	9	Ndumba Makeche	10	0	2	12
2	MF	19	Juninho	7	0	0	7
	FW	30	Gilmar	7	0	0	7
4	MF	33	Shamie Iszuan	2	0	2	4
5	MF	7	J. Partiban	1	1	0	2
6	MF	15	K. Gurusamy	1	0	0	1
	MF	18	Syahrul Azwari	1	0	0	1
	FW	34	Tommy Mawat	1	0	0	1
#	Own goals			2	0	0	2
Total				32	1	4	37

References