KUALA LUMPUR – Failure to control his emotions is the main reason naturalised player Mohamadou Sumareh did not hit peak form at the recently-ended Thailand King’s Cup football tournament in Chiang Mai, said local sports analyst Dr Pekan Ramli.
Pekan also attributed the winger’s desire and drive to prove a point as being the cause of him failing to control his emotions and making simple mistakes on the field.
To make matters worse, he said the Gambia-born player has yet to reach his optimum performance level, besides not getting enough competitive playing time due to the tough fight for places in the star-studded Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) team.
“When he (Sumareh) doesn’t get the chance to play, it becomes more difficult for him to regain his form although he is being given the opportunity to play by Harimau Malaya head coach Kim Pan-gon.
“When a player tries too hard and things don’t work out, it becomes more stressful and more difficult for him to hit peak form. This, I believe, is what’s happening to Sumareh,” he said.
Malaysia emerged runners-up in the 48th edition of the Thailand King’s Cup after losing 3-0 to Tajikistan in a penalty shootout when both teams failed to break the deadlock in regulation time at the 700th Anniversary of Chiang Mai Stadium last night.
However, Sumareh’s “headless chicken” performance earned the wrath of local football fans, especially when his overzealous tackle on a Tajikistan player towards the end of the first half nearly got him a red card.
Pekan feels that the 28-year-old Sumareh can still find his old form provided he is willing to work extra hard in training and get back into JDT’s starting 11, besides learning to keep his cool in tense situations.
“If he still can’t do that, I don’t see any other options other than that he should look at joining another team that can guarantee him a starting spot,” he said, adding that if Sumareh can regain his best form, he could have a huge impact on the national team’s performance.
Sumareh is the country’s first naturalised player after receiving Malaysian citizenship in April 2018, and has scored seven goals so far.
He made his Harimau Malaya debut against Sri Lanka in an international friendly in October 2018, scoring a brace in the 4-1 win at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo. – Bernama, September 26, 2022
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