KUALA LUMPUR: The national men’s football team have been hit by a player withdrawal crisis on the eve of their departure for China for international friendlies.
Six Selangor players pulled out from the team due to injuries after Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Kuching City.
The FA of Malaysia (FAM) confirmed today that it had received an official letter from Selangor, stating that the six players are injured. They are Nooa Laine, Zikri Khalili, A. Selvan, Syahir Bashah, Harith Haiqal Adam Afkar and goalkeeper Sikh Izhan Nazrel Sikh Azman.
Harimau Malaya have already been depleted by the absences of Johor Darul Ta’zim players due to the club’s demanding schedule in the Asian Champions League Elite and Asean Club Championship.
Following the pullouts, national interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe has now turned to his standby list, calling up Terengganu’s Suhaimi Husin and Safwan Mazlan, Sabah centre-back Dominic Tan, Kuching City’s Ariff Farhan Isa and KL City’s Syafiq Ahmad.
Cheng Hoe said his coaching staff had anticipated possible withdrawals following Sunday’s FA Cup semi-finals and had prepared alternatives.
The team will fly to Guangdong tomorrow morning. Malaysia are scheduled to face China on Nov 14 before meeting Yemen three days later at the Zhaoqing New District Sports Centre in Guangdong.