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KUALA LUMPUR – Is 2022 the year where Harimau Malaya got back its stripes?
This year has been stellar for the Malaysian national football team under the new leadership of South Korean head coach Kim Pan-gon who took over the role in January from Tan Cheng Hoe.
Tan decided to leave the national setup after joining in December 2017 after a dismal performance at the 2020 AFF Cup in Singapore but did give Malaysian football fans some great memories, including qualifying for the AFF Cup final in 2018 and also moved the team’s FIFA rankings from 178 to 153 since taking over.
New year, new beginnings
The Vibes spoke to local sports analyst Mohd Sadek Mustaffa to get an outsider’s perspective on how the national football team is doing.
“Even though we just came out of the pandemic, I think the team has been doing very well.
“Most notable achievement is that they qualified for the 2023 Asian Cup,” said Sadeq.
Since Pan-gon’s takeover up until the ongoing AFF Cup, the boys in yellow have played nine matches, won five, lost two, and drew two. This has translated into a slight jump in the FIFA rankings from 153 to 146.
Their only two defeats in the year outside of the AFF Cup have come from Singapore in March during the FAS 2022 Tri-Nations Series international friendly where they lost 2-1, and a 2-1 defeat to Bahrain during the 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers in June.
Despite the loss to Bahrain, Harimau Malaya managed to qualify for the 2023 Asian Cup for the first time on merit since 1980, ending the hurt for the past 42 years. It was the glimmer of hope for the future that many were waiting impatiently for.
However, in the AFF Cup, Malaysia suffered a 3-0 loss to Vietnam in a match that was marred by a controversial decision from Japanese referee Ryuji Sato.
“Even though they lost to Vietnam, they showed great performance. The commitment the players showed is good for the sport.
“I believe the players have been showing great fighting spirit during the AFF Cup and they feel honoured to represent Malaysia,” Sadek said.
Pan-gon’s eye for potential
Sadek also added that Pan-gon is sometimes placed in a difficult position, as some players choose not to represent the country, but the South Korean works wonders with those limitations.
Pan-gon has been picky with his men, often calling up players that have not been tested on the international stage but each time, his choices have delivered results.
In the current AFF Cup campaign alone, Lee Tuck and Stuart Wilkin have scored their first goals in their debut match.
Just recently during the match against Laos, teenage debut Muhammad Haqimi Azim Rosli scored his first international goal for Harimau Malaya, making it 4-0 for the team before Wilkin sealed off a stellar 5-0 win.
At the same match, Sri Pahang’s Sergio Aguero scored his first for the team, while it was not during his debut against Cambodia, it was still a brilliant performance from the Argentinian-born.
“The values these players have is commendable. I am not talking about status or glory, but about our players’ duty to represent Malaysia. Those values need to be stressed on more.
“Coach Pan-gon is there to instil those values, even with his limitations.
“We don’t need star players, we need those who are willing to sacrifice and fight for the country,” said Sadek.
What is next for Harimau Malaya?
Sadek said he hopes Pan-gon will give more opportunities for the younger players to represent the country.
“We need to make sure they have a good learning curve. They need to understand the level of commitment, focus, and tactics needed to play on the international level.
“This will make them more mature and will also give the coach more opportunities and choices to pick players that can represent Harimau Malaya.
“But we need to keep those values and be disciplined. Otherwise, we will be doomed to go backwards.” – The Vibes, December 31, 2022.
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