Rock solid and ambitious to boot!
Look to the future: Rene Komar hopes to finish among the top three in the Malaysian Super League. Picture: Jason Thomas
Sunday, March 4, 2007
b>Q: What is your favourite club?
A: I started playing organised football when I was eight for Croatian First League side HNK Rijeka, so for me, they will always be number one in my heart.
Q: Do you have any football idols?
A: Definitely Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini, two of AC Milan's greatest defenders. I also like watching Real Madrid's Fabio Cannavaro and AS Roma's Francesco Totti. I'm not sure why I like Totti. Maybe it's because my whole family has always been Juventus fans, but I have supported AS Roma since I was small.
Q: What is the most memorable match you've watched?
A: That would have to be the semi-finals of the 1998 World Cup, when France came back to win 2-1 against Croatia and advance to the finals to meet Brazil. It was all the more memorable because both the goals came from French defender Lilian Thuram, who has never scored again for Les Bleus. Nevertheless, it was a fantastic feeling to be third in the world and in Europe, where everyone lives for football during the World Cup. It was a tremendous achievement for Croatia.
Q: How did you get started as a defender?
A: Actually when I was young I didn't start out playing as a defender. My favoured position then was as a midfielder on the right wing. When I was 14 I stopped playing football and only got back to the sport six or seven years later. My coach then told me to play in defence. It was hard at first, but I got used to it after a while. And now I love playing as a defender.
Q: What is your proudest achievement?
A: Being awarded DPMM FC's Player of The Year last month is definitely my proudest achievement. I am very happy to have received this award and it's not easy as there are many good local players in the team. All the players deserve it, because when the team play good it makes you raise your game as well. I am also proud to have helped the team qualify for the Malaysian Super League for the first time last year.
Q: What do you feel about DPMM's run of good form?
A: It is nice to see the team improve every year. When I joined the team two years ago, we were the best in Brunei, though that might not have been too difficult. But we moved on to the Malaysian Premier League the next year and had a bad start, with only seven points after eight games. Then we got on an unbeaten streak and that gave us some confidence because we knew we could play against the best in the league and beat them. And it's the same feeling playing in the Malaysian Super League. Maybe that's why we are first in the table. If you go to a team and see them improve like this, you feel good about it. I only hope we can continue our good form for the rest of the season and I'm optimistic about our chances of being among the top three teams at the end of the season.
Q: What do you attribute DPMM's success to?
A: Good teamwork, team spirit and chemistry. Old, young, imports, locals; we all mix together very well in the locker room. There is always somebody cracking jokes during practice and no one is left out of the fun. It is this kind of atmosphere that makes you look forward to coming to practice everyday. We are very compact when we play and even if someone makes a mistake on the pitch, nobody scolds him because they know everyone makes mistakes. Our victory over Terengganu on Wednesday was our fifth in a row and now that we have self-confidence, we know we can challenge any team in the Malaysian Super League.
Q: Are there any players who have impressed you during your time at the club?
A: In my opinion, the most quality player in Brunei right now is our captain, Bobby (Rosmin Kamis). But this year, the person who has impressed me the most is fellow defender, Pg Sallehudin Pg Hj Damit. He is 34, but if you see him during training, you'd never guess his age because he runs and fights for the ball like nobody's business. And this really inspires the younger players, because you can't just watch someone go out there and play like Pg Sallehudin does and just stand still. The league's top scorer, Shahrazen Hj Md Said, is also playing very well lately and if he continues to play like this he has a very bright future. He is strong, powerful and very bright and these are all good attributes for any striker to possess.
Q: As a defender, who has been the hardest player for you to mark?
A: I think that would have to be Ivica Olic, who joined Hamburger SV last month from CSKA Moscow. He is in the Croatian national team and played two games in last year's World Cup. I remember playing against him when he was at FC Zagreb and I was at Pomorac. He is very fast and extremely strong and that gave me a lot of trouble. In Malaysia, I think Perak's Phillimon Chipeta and Keita Mandjou as well as Pahang's Indraputra Mahayuddin are the hardest to defend against. I've never played against Bambang Pamungkas, when he was in Selangor, so I can't say much about him.
Q: How is Buketa Ranko as a coach?
A: What can I say, the results speak for themselves. He brought the team up from the Brunei League to the Malaysian Premier League and to the summit of the Malaysian Super League in only two seasons. He knows what he wants and he knows how to get it. Our job is to follow his instructions and listen to him. He's a very good coach on the pitch and an equally good person off it. On the field he is my boss, but off the field he is my friend, which is something I can't say about some of the other coaches I've played under.
Q: What is your aim for the future?
A: I am not too sure what I want to do when I stop playing football, but it would either be a job in the hospitality industry or as a coach. But right now my aim is to do the best that I can for DPMM and help the team continue to be the best in the MSL. If we can finish either first or second in the MSL this season that would be a very good achievement for me. But of course, I'd like to win the league this year, because we deserve it and so do the people of Brunei.
Q: Finally, do you have any advice for young defenders?
A: It is extremely hard to be a good defender, but the first thing you have to do is practise everyday. The second thing is to play as many games as you can to gain experience and always go 100 per cent, even during practice. Don't try to show off, just do your job. Don't be over confident and don't ever let your guard down because anything can happen in football. Always remember, the game is not over until the final whistle. If you lose the ball and the other team score, you could be responsible for the team losing two or even three points and everyone will be looking at you. Just like a goalkeeper, being a defender requires a lot of responsibility. And always be ready to accept criticism because when others tell you something it is only to teach you and they don't want you to make the same mistake twice.
The Brunei Times
A: I started playing organised football when I was eight for Croatian First League side HNK Rijeka, so for me, they will always be number one in my heart.
Q: Do you have any football idols?
A: Definitely Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini, two of AC Milan's greatest defenders. I also like watching Real Madrid's Fabio Cannavaro and AS Roma's Francesco Totti. I'm not sure why I like Totti. Maybe it's because my whole family has always been Juventus fans, but I have supported AS Roma since I was small.
Q: What is the most memorable match you've watched?
A: That would have to be the semi-finals of the 1998 World Cup, when France came back to win 2-1 against Croatia and advance to the finals to meet Brazil. It was all the more memorable because both the goals came from French defender Lilian Thuram, who has never scored again for Les Bleus. Nevertheless, it was a fantastic feeling to be third in the world and in Europe, where everyone lives for football during the World Cup. It was a tremendous achievement for Croatia.
Q: How did you get started as a defender?
A: Actually when I was young I didn't start out playing as a defender. My favoured position then was as a midfielder on the right wing. When I was 14 I stopped playing football and only got back to the sport six or seven years later. My coach then told me to play in defence. It was hard at first, but I got used to it after a while. And now I love playing as a defender.
Q: What is your proudest achievement?
A: Being awarded DPMM FC's Player of The Year last month is definitely my proudest achievement. I am very happy to have received this award and it's not easy as there are many good local players in the team. All the players deserve it, because when the team play good it makes you raise your game as well. I am also proud to have helped the team qualify for the Malaysian Super League for the first time last year.
Q: What do you feel about DPMM's run of good form?
A: It is nice to see the team improve every year. When I joined the team two years ago, we were the best in Brunei, though that might not have been too difficult. But we moved on to the Malaysian Premier League the next year and had a bad start, with only seven points after eight games. Then we got on an unbeaten streak and that gave us some confidence because we knew we could play against the best in the league and beat them. And it's the same feeling playing in the Malaysian Super League. Maybe that's why we are first in the table. If you go to a team and see them improve like this, you feel good about it. I only hope we can continue our good form for the rest of the season and I'm optimistic about our chances of being among the top three teams at the end of the season.
Q: What do you attribute DPMM's success to?
A: Good teamwork, team spirit and chemistry. Old, young, imports, locals; we all mix together very well in the locker room. There is always somebody cracking jokes during practice and no one is left out of the fun. It is this kind of atmosphere that makes you look forward to coming to practice everyday. We are very compact when we play and even if someone makes a mistake on the pitch, nobody scolds him because they know everyone makes mistakes. Our victory over Terengganu on Wednesday was our fifth in a row and now that we have self-confidence, we know we can challenge any team in the Malaysian Super League.
Q: Are there any players who have impressed you during your time at the club?
A: In my opinion, the most quality player in Brunei right now is our captain, Bobby (Rosmin Kamis). But this year, the person who has impressed me the most is fellow defender, Pg Sallehudin Pg Hj Damit. He is 34, but if you see him during training, you'd never guess his age because he runs and fights for the ball like nobody's business. And this really inspires the younger players, because you can't just watch someone go out there and play like Pg Sallehudin does and just stand still. The league's top scorer, Shahrazen Hj Md Said, is also playing very well lately and if he continues to play like this he has a very bright future. He is strong, powerful and very bright and these are all good attributes for any striker to possess.
Q: As a defender, who has been the hardest player for you to mark?
A: I think that would have to be Ivica Olic, who joined Hamburger SV last month from CSKA Moscow. He is in the Croatian national team and played two games in last year's World Cup. I remember playing against him when he was at FC Zagreb and I was at Pomorac. He is very fast and extremely strong and that gave me a lot of trouble. In Malaysia, I think Perak's Phillimon Chipeta and Keita Mandjou as well as Pahang's Indraputra Mahayuddin are the hardest to defend against. I've never played against Bambang Pamungkas, when he was in Selangor, so I can't say much about him.
Q: How is Buketa Ranko as a coach?
A: What can I say, the results speak for themselves. He brought the team up from the Brunei League to the Malaysian Premier League and to the summit of the Malaysian Super League in only two seasons. He knows what he wants and he knows how to get it. Our job is to follow his instructions and listen to him. He's a very good coach on the pitch and an equally good person off it. On the field he is my boss, but off the field he is my friend, which is something I can't say about some of the other coaches I've played under.
Q: What is your aim for the future?
A: I am not too sure what I want to do when I stop playing football, but it would either be a job in the hospitality industry or as a coach. But right now my aim is to do the best that I can for DPMM and help the team continue to be the best in the MSL. If we can finish either first or second in the MSL this season that would be a very good achievement for me. But of course, I'd like to win the league this year, because we deserve it and so do the people of Brunei.
Q: Finally, do you have any advice for young defenders?
A: It is extremely hard to be a good defender, but the first thing you have to do is practise everyday. The second thing is to play as many games as you can to gain experience and always go 100 per cent, even during practice. Don't try to show off, just do your job. Don't be over confident and don't ever let your guard down because anything can happen in football. Always remember, the game is not over until the final whistle. If you lose the ball and the other team score, you could be responsible for the team losing two or even three points and everyone will be looking at you. Just like a goalkeeper, being a defender requires a lot of responsibility. And always be ready to accept criticism because when others tell you something it is only to teach you and they don't want you to make the same mistake twice.
The Brunei Times
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