KUALA LUMPUR - Will Harimau Malaya unveil their secret weapon today in the form of another player to strengthen the squad, just days before they open their campaign in the World Cup 2022/Asian Cup 2023 second-round qualifiers in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE)?
For sure, the interest of Malaysian football fans has been heightened after Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin indicated that Harimau Malaya would name their 26th player to boost their mission in UAE this month.
“It’s now 8 am in Dubai; wait for the arrival of the 26th player of Harimau Malaya,” he said in a 19-second video uploaded on the FAM Facebook and Youtube accounts today.
Since last week, speculation about the possible inclusion of FC Midtylland player Dion Cools into Tan Cheng Hoe’s squad has been swirling among local fans.
This was after a statement was uploaded on the Danish club’s website saying that the 24-year-old Cools had earned his first call-up with the Malaysian national team.
However, FC Midtylland deleted it after the matter went viral on social media.
FAM had earlier tried to rope in the right back for national duty but Cools reportedly intended to focus on his career in Europe.
Cools, whose father is Belgian and mother Malaysian, is eligible to represent Malaysia at senior level.
The Kuching, Sarawak-born player has been fielded 32 times by FC Midtylland in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, including three times in the European Champions League.
The 1.85m-tall Cools had a creditable outing against Liverpool who fielded players like Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota in Group D of the Champions League this season.
Cools, who reportedly can also play as a central defender and left back, can give national players Matthew Davies, Syahmi Safari and Mohd Rizal Ghazali a fight for the right back position.
Malaysia will play hosts UAE on June 3, Vietnam on June 11 and Thailand on June 15 to wrap up their second-round campaign. - Bernama. May 31, 2021
