KUALA LUMPUR – National football legend Datuk Thanabalan Nadarajah has dismissed the sentiment among fans that Harimau Malaya’s defeat to Oman in the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup qualifier was due to poor pitch conditions at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium as a “lame excuse”.
The 80th-ranked Oman defeated Harimau Malaya 2-0 in the qualifier match yesterday.
This marks Malaysia’s second consecutive defeat in the qualifiers against Oman within a week, having lost by the same score on March 22 at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat.
Speaking to Scoop, the 81-year-old former striker, who graced the national team from 1960 to 1969, reminisced about playing in pitch conditions that were even more challenging than what head coach Kim Pan-gon’s charges have experienced.
“I find it to be a lame excuse by the fans and Pan-gon as he was indirectly referring to the pitch as the reason behind his team’s defeat. I agree that the pitch was bad, but that cannot be used as an excuse for the defeat.
“Even Oman played on the same pitch, but they managed to go back home with a win… how was that possible? The Omani players were more versatile, and they knew how to overcome their obstacles with ease, unlike our Malaysian players.
“I personally feel that the players that Pan-gon has are not versatile and patriotic enough to play for the badge.
“I remember during my time in the 70s when we played on pitches that were even worse and muddier than the one in Bukit Jalil. If we could succeed, why can’t the current Harimau Malaya players?
“By right, our players should be used to these kinds of pitches, as not all football clubs across the country are perfect.
“Hence, enough with these kinds of lame excuses, and let’s admit that our players are not good enough,” said Thanabalan when contacted.
Aside from his time with the national team, Thanabalan is also well-known for his career with Selangor FC, where he played alongside the late Abdul Ghani Minhat, M. Chandran, and Abdullah Yeop Noordin, helping the club become runners-up in the 1967 Asian Champion Club Tournament.
He went on to win seven Malaysia Cup titles (1961, 1962, 1963, 1966, 1968, 1969, and 1971) with Selangor FC and was inducted into the Olympic Council of Malaysia’s Hall of Fame in 2013.
Thanabalan also said that Malaysia will have a tough chance to qualify for the next round of the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup qualifier, citing that Pan-gon’s charges will only be able to win one out of their remaining two matches.
“I think we will only be able to defeat Chinese Taipei, and I doubt that we can defeat Kyrgyzstan away.
“Pan-gon’s players may struggle in the cold weather in that country. The chances of qualifying are low, but anything can happen in football; let’s hope for the best,” he added.
Meanwhile, former national team captain Datuk Zainal Abidin Hassan supported Harimau Malaya’s qualifying campaign and said that they still have a chance to qualify for the round.
“We should not write off Harimau Malaya’s qualifying chances as they still have time to redeem themselves in the next two matches.
“I believe in Pan-gon, and I think by now, he would have analysed the team’s flaws from the previous match and improved them,” said Zainal, who won 116 caps and scored 50 goals for Malaysia in his sterling career.
During yesterday’s match at Bukit Jalil National Stadium, the pitch was tearing apart, affecting both sides’ gameplay, with players tumbling due to light challenges and tackles, particularly on the flanks.
The match at the national stadium drew 26,499 fans, with half of the Malaysian fans leaving the stadium between the 85th and 90th minutes.
Following yesterday’s defeat, Malaysia currently sits third in Group D of the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup qualifier, with six points. – March 28, 2024