KUALA LUMPUR — Harimau Malaya interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe is keeping a close watch on the Super League as he looks to identify players capable of earning a place in Malaysia’s squad for next month’s FIFA Asean Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia.
With limited time available to prepare for the regional tournament, Cheng Hoe said the opening rounds of the domestic season have given his coaching staff an important opportunity to assess the form and readiness of local players who could be considered for future national team call-ups.
“We are definitely monitoring the league matches and looking at the performances of players across the country.
“Having the league underway allows us to monitor local players and identify those who could be called up for the next national team camp. I believe this gives the players an opportunity to showcase their ability,” he told Scoop when contacted.
The 57-year-old said the start of the domestic campaign last week had also come at the right time for the national team, with players already gaining competitive minutes and improving their match fitness with their respective clubs.
That exposure, he believes, will be particularly important given Harimau Malaya’s limited preparation time and the likelihood that they will not have the opportunity to play a series of international friendlies before the tournament.
“When the league is being played, it is certainly beneficial to the national team because the players have already started competing and are gaining fitness from playing several matches for their clubs.
“We do not have much time and will not have the opportunity to play many friendly matches, so the league matches will help us with our preparations,” he said.
Cheng Hoe therefore sees the Super League as a key platform for his coaching staff to evaluate potential candidates before finalising the squad for the regional competition.
Malaysia will open their Group A campaign against Bangladesh at Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on Sept 25 before taking on hosts Indonesia at the same venue three days later.
Harimau Malaya will complete their group-stage fixtures against Singapore at the Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung on Oct 1.
Only the group winners will progress to the final, where they will face the winners of Group B, comprising Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Pakistan. – August 29, 2026