KUALA LUMPUR: Kelantan Red Warrior (KRW) head coach Irfan Bakti Abu Salim has revealed that former Liverpool defender Aly Cissokho is on trial with the team.
But Irfan made it clear he is against signing him because the 39-year-old is "past his prime and too slow".
Speaking after KRW's 5-2 defeat to Star City at the Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium on Friday, Irfan explained that while trialists have been brought in to train with the squad, the Frenchman offers no answer to Kelantan's problems.
"We already have players in mind, but the ones currently training with us right now are one from Brazil and that 39-year-old from Liverpool," Irfan said.
"At 39, I don't see anything in him. He is old, past his prime, and too slow."
When asked specifically about Cissokho, Irfan did not hold back in dismissing the veteran left-back's suitability for the squad.
"That is what I am saying about Cissokho; I really don't see anything in him. He is too slow now. I would rather stick with these young boys of mine. What I actually need right now is in central midfield," he said.
Irfan's refusal to endorse Cissokho comes despite the defender's European pedigree.
Capped by France in 2010, Cissokho made 19 appearances for Liverpool during their 2013-14 Premier League campaign under Brendan Rodgers, alongside Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez.
He also made more than 50 appearances for Aston Villa, reached the 2010 UEFA Champions League semi-finals with Lyon following a €15 million transfer (RM68.7m), and won league titles with Porto and Olympiacos before recent spells in Southeast Asia with Thai sides Lamphun Warriors and Muangthong United.
However, Irfan stressed that signing an ageing fullback would do little to address his team's deficiencies in midfield.
He reprimanded his smaller playmakers, specifically naming Faiz Nasir and Muhaimin Izzudin, for over-dribbling and trying to play like Lionel Messi instead of shooting.
"In the middle, the dribbling looks pretty, but they are so small," he said.
"They act like Messi! Did you see that earlier? He could have taken a shot, but that's his habit, he drags the ball back. He could have just shot directly, but once you do that, the chance is gone. There is no chance left."
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