PETALING JAYA - National football coach Tan Cheng Hoe can expect some ‘extra time’ soon to get his squad ready for the three 2022 World Cup/2023 Asia Cup qualifiers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this June.
This follows the Football Association of Malaysia’s (FAM) recommendation to the Malaysia Football League (MFL) to postpone Malaysia League (M-League) matches scheduled to take place after Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
FAM deputy president Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mahadi said the postponement of Super League and Premier League fixtures will enable the Harimau Malaya squad to focus fully on their qualifying campaign beginning with the UAE on June 3, followed by Vietnam (June 11) and ending Thailand on June 15.
“If we can postpone the fixtures scheduled after Hari Raya that means we have more than two weeks to prepare before leaving for the UAE.
“I think praise must be given to the players because the request came from them because they wish for more time to train and to provide enough room for coaches to prepare the team properly for the UAE,” he said at a media conference after a sponsorship signing ceremony with Casio Malaysia at Wisma FAM here today.
FAM president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin and Casio Malaysia managing director Tezuka Itsuro were also present at the signing ceremony.
The last Super League match is scheduled to take place on May 22 to make way for the international matches before the league resumes on July 2. Hari Raya Aidilfitri holidays are expected to fall on May 13 and 14.
Meanwhile, Mohd Yusoff, who is also the national team manager, confirmed three teams, Bahrain, Jordan, and Australia have expressed their willingness to face the Harimau Malaya squad as a warm-up to the remaining Group G qualifiers.
He explained that he would hold talks with Cheng Hoe to determine the best two teams to be chosen as opponents for the national squad.
"I hope we can settle things earlier and hold two friendly matches before the real action starts in the UAE,” he said.
In the meantime, Mohd Yusoff said FAM really appreciated the one-year sponsorship that began on March 1, 2021 by Casio while Itsuro believed that the collaboration will help the national team to achieve greater success in the future.
Today’s event also saw the launching of the Harimau Malaya’s special edition watch by Casio that will be available for purchase next May. - Bernama, April 1, 2021
