PETALING JAYA – Malaysian football legend Safee Sali said if Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) striker Arif Aiman Hanapi wants to spread his wings, West Asia would be a good place to ply his trade.
Safee, who is also the Professional Footballers Association of Malaysia (PFAM) president, feels that the level of competition there will fit the youngster’s playing style.
But the former Selangor forward, who has experience playing in Indonesia, feels that Arif is at the right club to grow as a player.
“Moving to a league like the United Arab Emirates can help him develop his potential.
“If he goes to a league where the competition is too high like in Europe, the challenges will be different.
“But he is still young…he still has a long way to go, and he is at the right club to grow.
“I worry that if he goes to a high level, his performance will drop.
“So, let’s give him more time to learn his trade with JDT, because with his age, at 21 years old, I’m afraid his performance won’t improve if he makes a move abroad too early.
“Let him grow with JDT. (In) football, if you rise too quickly, your downfall will be just as quick,” said Safee when met after the Football Association of Malaysia’s 59th annual congress here today.
Recently, Arif had scored five goals in two matches against Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea with Harimau Malaya.
He then backed that up with a sensational hat-trick to help JDT down Selangor FC 4-0 in the FA Cup semi-final on Monday. – The Vibes, July 1, 2023
