KUALA LUMPUR – Former national football coaches have raised concerns about Malaysia’s readiness to compete in the upcoming AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.
The doubts arose among the coaches following Harimau Malaya’s 2-0 defeat to Tajikistan in the final of the Pestabola Merdeka tournament on Tuesday at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium.
The game saw Tajikistan’s head coach, Petar Segrt, field a youthful team with an average age of 21, due to the absence of 15 players from his main squad.
Speaking to Scoop, former Harimau Muda coach Azraai Khor Abdullah said that Malaysia may struggle in the Asian Cup next year if the team does not improve upon its flaws.
“Honestly speaking, I actually admire the national head coach, Kim Pan-gon’s style of play. The players are committed to their game, and despite the mishap in the final of the Pestabola Merdeka tournament, the team has shown progress.
“However, I still believe that our team will struggle, as we have many flaws that need to be rectified. Our defence is one of the core issues, particularly when facing young opponents.
“If Pan-gon doesn’t work with the players to resolve this matter, I have a strong feeling that we may struggle in Qatar next year,” said Azraai.
Azraai also emphasised that Malaysian players should gain experience by playing in foreign leagues to elevate their standards of play.
“If you notice, we have many foreign players from around the world participating in our local leagues, but the situation is the opposite for our local players.
“Our local players rarely get the opportunity to play in foreign leagues, and even if they do, it doesn’t last long.
“This situation must change, and our players should step out of their comfort zones, play in foreign leagues, and gain confidence to compete against higher-ranking teams,” added Azraai.
Former Harimau Malaya coach Abdul Rahman Ibrahim echoed similar beliefs, stating that Pan-gon needs to make improvements to the team for them to survive in the Asian Cup.
“I still can’t accept our defeat against Tajikistan, and I have no idea how we struggled against a team that didn’t field most of their main players.
“Our performance was disappointing compared to how we played against India in the semifinals.
“However, I don’t want to be negative by saying we don’t stand a chance in the Asian Cup. We are capable of performing well, but Pan-gon needs to make improvements to the team,” said Rahman.
Malaysia will begin their Asian Cup campaign against Jordan on January 15, 2024.
Malaysia is grouped with South Korea, Jordan, and Bahrain in Group E for the 18th edition of the tournament. – October 19, 2023