Slovakia Or Cardiff Option For Harimau Muda

PETALING JAYA, Aug 23 (Bernama) -- The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) now has more than one option for the Harimau Muda squad in its preparations to defend the SEA Games gold medal in Indonesia next year.

FAM Secretary-general Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad said the Under-23 squad coached by Ong Kim Swee can either continue their training in Slovakia, join a training camp in Cardiff City, Wales or train locally and play friendly games with foreign teams.

"FAM president Sultan Ahmad Shah will make a decision on the three options soon," he told reporters after the FAM's first Executive Council meeting at Wisma FAM here Monday.

Deputy president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah was also in attendance during the meeting.

The Harimau Muda that was under former coach Mohd Azraai Khor Abdullah was in Slovakia for three months, starting February this year, and competed in the Slovakian league while training in the country.

However, due to a misunderstanding between Azraai and goalkeeper coach P. Mohana Sundram, the services of the coaches was terminated and the task handed to Kim Swee.

Azzuddin said the first choice was for the team to return to Slovakia and play in their Division One league which involves 12 teams, since the country had made a formal invitation.

Meanwhile, there was another suggestion to train for six weeks in Cardiff, Wales, a division two club in the English Premier League, that was now owned by Malaysians.

"FAM will use money from its own coffers but we are not able to confirm if we can get quality matches soon," he said.

As for training locally and playing friendly matches abroad, "it may not achieve the maximum results desired, especially within a three-month period because many teams will be preparing for the November Asian Games in Guangzhou."

-- BERNAMA

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