On a humid night in Kuantan, on the East Coast of the Malaysias peninsular, a young and diminutive Argentinian was about to make his debut for the home team after signing less than 48 hours earlier.
Not an ideal situation but in view of the circumstances surrounding Sri Pahang FC’s season, Manuel Hidalgo’s service was urgently required.
Twenty-two-year-old Hidalgo was roped in as part of the Malaysian Super League side’s effort to overhaul their existing import line up during the mid-season transfer window. The team, at that point, were ranked second from bottom in the league, having lost seven out of 13 matches.
Progress for the new season hasn’t gone smoothly after their coach, former US international Thomas Dooley, was shown the exit door just after a few games. The reason behind his dismissal apparently being that he had a disagreement with the club’s hierarchy on various aspects, including on how the team was managed and the lack of a proper training facility.
Knowing how things can swiftly move in Malaysian football, and considering it’s a short season consisting of just 22 games, it is essential for Hidalgo to make a good impression right from the start. He had the opportunity to do just that after being named in the starting line-up against Selangor FC.
In the first 45 minutes thanks to his zippy runs and wizardry on the ball, Hidalgo gave Selangor plenty of problems to deal with. He was also dangerous from set piece situations. Sri Pahang were denied the chance to take the lead just before halftime, after a well taken free kick from the Argentine hit the crossbar.
Hidalgo finally got his name on the score sheet just three minutes after the interval. After receiving the ball from his teammate, Malik Ariff, he managed to manoeuvre himself against incoming Jordan Ayimbila to slot it past Selangor’s goalkeeper Muhammad Khairulazhan. Despite the effort from Sharul Nazeem, the ball calmly crossed the goal line, giving Sri Pahang a deserving lead.
A resurgent Selangor could have taken all three points from this game, thanks to goals from Hein Htet Aung and Ifedayo Olusegun.
Hidalgo, however, had other ideas.
Deep into injury time, Selangor were reduced to ten men after Nazeem received his second booking for bringing down an opponent. From the resulting free kick, Hidalgo sent in an inch-perfect cross which found Malik Ariff, who headed home for the equalizer.
Right after the final whistle, it became clear that Hidalgo’s performance was going to be the talking point in Malaysian football. After all, it was exactly the confidence boost Sri Pahang needed, one they could use as a platform to propel themselves in the second half of the season. Hidalgo might just be the spark that Sri Pahang need to revive their campaign.
On a personal note for Hidalgo, it was a triumphant return on the pitch after having been away from the game for almost three months.
Prior to this he was on the books of Sheffield Wednesday having joined the Owls early last year from Italian side Triestina. A lot was expected from Hidalgo when he first arrived at Hillsborough. He was showing plenty of promise while playing for the club’s Under-23 side. But that’s as good as it got for him, as he failed to make a single first team appearance.
Then in December last year, he decided to terminate his contract and return back to Argentina; citing Diego Maradona’s death as the reason behind his decision, as well as his desire to spend more time with family and friends.
Hidalgo started his career with Ferro Carril Oeste in 2012 as a academy trainee. In the next few years, his performance in various age groups continued to improve. This drew plenty of attention within the club’s leadership as he was regarded as an important figure in the club’s future. As a result he was promoted to the first team at the age of just 15.
Despite his potential to grow as a player with Ferro, he had bigger ambitions. He was looking for a move across the Atlantic and hoping to to strike a lucrative deal in Europe. He ended up joining Benfica as part of their U19 side in 2016. There was a bit of buzz upon his arrival which eventually faded as he didn’t manage to make any notable impact.
His time in Portugal only lasted a year, in 2017 he left for Italy to play for Serie C side Triestina. During his three year stay, he managed only 29 appearances for the club. For the most part he was either warming the bench or spending most of his time nursing an ankle injury.
To be honest, looking back at Hidalgo’s career history, one can only wonder if Sri Pahang made the right choice. After all the arrival and departure of imports in Malaysian football without proper background check has been a common practice.
Also, there isn’t much leverage available to justify his move, apart from a few video clips made available showing his flair and dribbling skills. Like all his previous transfers, Hidalgo’s move to Sheffield Wednesday created a similar kind of titillation thanks to his highlights, a feeling which dissipated with time.
In Hidalgo’s latest switch, it appears his agent, Lucas Cominelli (a former Pahang player himself) had a strong connection with the leadership at Sri Pahang FC. He was also responsible for bringing two other Argentinean to the club in the past, Matias Conti and Yamil Romero.
As much as Cominelli has put his neck on the line to secure this move, it all comes down to what Hidalgo can do on the pitch when called upon. He already showed plenty of brilliance against Selangor. But to avoid being labeled as another flash in the pan, he had to demonstrate similar aptitude in Sri Pahang’s next game.
Against Perak FC, Hidalgo pretty much started from where he left off in the game against Selangor. Starting on the right flank, he displayed similar level skills again, giving Perak plenty to handle . Though he didn’t score a goal nor provide any assists, he did have a hand in Sri Pahang’s second goal.
He was the architect of Sri Pahang’s attack, from which his pinpoint pass to Malik Ariff, allowed the latter having plenty of breathing space to provide a comfortable cross to Kenny Athiu to double Sri Pahang’s lead. It was a sight of behold to see how he managed to strike a telepathic understanding with both Ariff and Athiu, creating a trident partnership.
Prior to that goal, Hidalgo produced a superlative situation with his amazing ball control technique. He managed to turn around and dance his way through like a ballerina, passing a couple of Perak FC players. It was a moment of finesse and beauty that simply takes your breath away.
In a recent interview on the Enganche Club 947 FM radio, Hidalgo spoke about how in the past it was all due to financial factors that persuaded him to make decisions in football. Which is quite understandable when the average length of a professional footballer career can be quite short.
In the same interview, Hidalgo also mentioned that he wanted something more from the game. Maradona’s death was the catalyst that made him realize just how important that is. It was at this point, he decided it was best to end his stint with Wednesday and return home to Argentina.
Perhaps what was missing is the exuberant feeling of having the ball on your feet and playing the game, a joy that no one can’t put a price on. A feeling that was lost over the years as he struggled to get any first team action. With Sri Pahang, it was good to see Hidalgo relieving that sense of joie de vivre again.
Since Hidalgo’s first two games, it’s fair to say both him and the club are rubbing each other in the right way. After enduring a torrid start to the season, things are beginning to look more promising for Sri Pahang. Though this doesn’t take away the internal issues that have embroiled the team following Dooley’s departure, at least there is some glimmer of hope for the Elephant’s faithful.
The manner in which Hidalgo dazzles with the ball, cutting from the right using his left foot, is pure eroticism. But there are still some sides to his game that need to be improved. His decision making when running down the flanks needs to be more timely and precise.
Some of these drawbacks were even reported during his time with Sheffield Wednesday. Despite having a bag full of tricks and flair, he still had the tendency to fall in and out of games. A combination of issues that made it difficult for Wednesday’s management to push him into the first team.
One thing’s for sure in Hidalgo, Sri Pahang have found a gem that could just turn their season around. After all being diminutive, left footed and Argentinean, are the kind of traits that don’t easily go unnoticed for any common football fan.
If Hidalgo can continue on his current form with Sri Pahang and work on those areas which he needs to improve, it might just lead to an endless amount of possibilities in the future. It didn’t take long after he’s eye-catching performance against Selangor, that there were links between him and a certain club from the south, that has been the spiritual home for Argentine footballers in Malaysia.
Until then, let’s just roll out the red carpet for Hidalgo’s entrance to Malaysian Super League and hope he can continue to bewilder us with his sorcery on the ball.
