KUALA LUMPUR – National football head coach Pau Marti Vincente has no plans to bring in Faisal Halim for the next few months, citing the need for the winger to have more time to recover from his injury.
The 26-year-old Selangor FC player, who recently returned to action for the Red Giants after an acid attack in May, has already featured in his side’s Super League clashes against Kelantan United, Sabah FC, and even captained his team in the Sultan Selangor Cup.
Vincente, who replaced former head coach Kim Pan-gon in July, said that he will definitely work with Faisal once he’s fully fit, noting that he admires his character as a footballer.
The Spaniard’s response came after announcing the 26-player squad for this year’s Merdeka tournament.
“I’m very happy that Faisal is playing again, showing his strength and character. I think this is something we can all learn from and be proud of.
“The decision not to call Faisal for this tournament was made after considering his fitness level. I have been in touch with him, met him, and we both agreed that he needs to focus on his recovery.
“More than that, he should also focus on his fitness and getting back his football minutes with his club. At the same time, I also want him to feel mentally strong.
“When he is ready and comes back to full form, I am eager to work with him because I love his personality and attitude,” said Vincente during a press conference at Wisma FAM earlier today.
Vincente also expressed confidence in the players he has chosen for this year’s Merdeka tournament, stating that they are the best in the country and that he believes they will win the title.
“These are the best players we have right now, and I selected them on merit. They are all excellent footballers, and I believe we can put up a good fight in the tournament with these players.
“But we can’t expect immediate results as it’s a long-term process, and the team will need some time to gel. On a personal note, I would love to win the Merdeka Cup for the fans and the country,” Vincente added.
The majority of the players selected by Vincente are from Johor Darul Ta’zim FC, including Syihan Hazmi, Matthew Davies, Feroz Baharudin, Afiq Faizal, Corbin-Ong, Arif Aiman, and Romel Morales.
Four players each are from Terengganu FC (Safawi Rashid, Akhyar Rashid, Safwan Mazlan, and Azam Azmi), Kuala Lumpur City FC (Azri Ghani, Zhafri Yahya, Paulo Josue, and Haqimi Azim), and three each from Sabah FC (Dominic Tan, Daniel Ting, and Darren Lok). Additionally, there are two players each from Selangor FC (Nooa Laine and Harith Haiqal), Kedah FC (Kalamullah Al-Hafiz and Syafiq Ahmad), and Penang FC (Syamer Kutty and Adib Abdul Raop).
Vincente also selected one player from Ho Chi Minh City FC (Endrick Dos Santos) and one from Buriram United FC (Dion Cools).
This year’s Merdeka Tournament is scheduled to take place from September 2 to 10 at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
The tournament will feature Malaysia, Lebanon, the Philippines, and defending champions Tajikistan. – August 21, 2024