Former A-League championship-winning coach Mike Mulvey is hoping for defensive improvements as his Terengganu side face up to local rivals T-Team in two crucial Malaysia Super League games this week.

The Turtles will play T-Team at Stadium Sultan Ismail on Wednesday before facing their neighbours at the same Kuala Terengganu venue three days later.

Terengganu are eighth on the table on 12 points but can overtake T-Team, who are fourth on 15 points, if they win both games.

But a leaky defence -- 20 goals conceded in 10 games which is the third worst in the league -- remains a concern for 53-year-old Mulvey.

"The issue is more with individual errors rather than structure and you can't legislate for that," Mulvey told ESPN FC.

"However, we go into the game on Wednesday with the belief and confidence that we can get a result."

Terengganu won a shoot-out against Sarawak 3-2 in their last MSL outing on May 4 to break a four-game losing streak, including a 3-0 defeat to Kelantan on Apr. 24.

But Mulvey, who guided Brisbane Roar to the 2014 A-League Championship, prefers to look at the positives after taking over as coach in April, having arrived at the club as Technical Director a month earlier.

"We have qualified for the Malaysia Cup, which is important," he said.

"Now we need to face high flying T-Team, our close neighbours. It won't be easy as derbies never are."

Before a 2-1 loss to Selangor on May 4, T-Team had won four games in a row. If results go their way this week, they could move into the top three, above the Red Giants.

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by Jason Dasey

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