KUALA LUMPUR – The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) hopes to see consistent participation from its under-23 players for their respective clubs in the Super League.
The governing body’s response came following the Harimau Muda’s performance in the ongoing Under-23 Asian Cup, where they succumbed to defeat in their opening two matches and were mathematically eliminated from the tournament.
Speaking to Scoop from Doha, FAM technical director Scott O’Donell said he hoped to see the under-23 side play in the Asian Cup consistently, citing that the players would be beneficial for the national team if they played regularly for their clubs.
“Obviously, we would want consistent participation in this level of competition whenever possible. I don’t want to make it sound like we are making excuses, but we have situations leading up to the competition where some of our players did not even begin their preseasons at their clubs.
“These kinds of competitions are really good for our players, and moving forward, I would love to see them playing regularly in the Super League. It’s going to be a challenge for them as they are not used to playing at such a high level of intensity all the time.
“I’m not saying that they should be given a chance to play in the Super League just because they are under-23 players, but I want our players to prove to their club coaches that they deserve an opportunity.
“At the end of the day, the players can only benefit the national team if they play regularly for their Super League teams,” said the Australian when contacted.
At the same time, O’Donell also said that exposure gained from playing in the Super League would better prepare under-23 players for national team duties.
“If you look at all the teams that play in the U23 Asian Cup, all the national team players play regularly for their clubs,” he added.
The Harimau Muda began their U23 Asian Cup campaign with a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Uzbekistan at the Khalifa International Stadium on April 17.
On April 20, they were unable to hold their own, succumbing to a 2-0 defeat against Vietnam in their second Group D match.
Currently sitting bottom of Group D, Malaysia will play their final group match against Kuwait tonight.
The Harimau Muda’s best achievement in the U23 Asian Cup was in 2018 when they reached the quarter-finals of the tournament held in China. – April 23, 2024