KUALA LUMPUR — National head coach Peter Cklamovski has reaffirmed the importance of local talent in his long-term vision for the Harimau Malaya squad.
The 46-year-old Australian emphasised that he does not distinguish between locally based, overseas, or naturalised players — insisting that only the best will be selected to represent Malaysia.
“Yes, local players are absolutely part of the long-term plan — but at the same time, I don’t differentiate. They are all Malaysian players. Whether they play in Malaysia or abroad, it doesn’t matter to me. I’ll pick the best possible squad at the time,” he said.
“I’ve always said I believe in young Malaysian players — whether they’re playing in the Super League, the MFL Cup, or overseas. That’s my mentality.”
Cklamovski was speaking at a post-match press conference following Malaysia’s 1-1 draw with Cape Verde — currently ranked 72nd in the world — in a Tier 1 international friendly at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras last night.
The coach fielded seven local players in the starting line-up — a rare move in recent times, as the national team has come to rely more heavily on heritage and naturalised players.
However, it was naturalised striker Paulo Josue who came off the bench to rescue a draw in the 79th minute, cancelling out Sidny Lopes Cabral’s early opener for the visitors in the eighth minute.
The seven local players in the starting eleven were: goalkeeper Ahmad Syihan Hazmi Mohamed; defenders Harith Haiqal Adam Afkar and Muhammad Ubaidullah Shamsul Fazili; midfielder Muhammad Nazmi Faiz Mansor; wingers Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi and Mohamad Faisal Abdul Halim; and forward Muhammad Safawi Rasid.
The increasing reliance on heritage and naturalised players has recently come under scrutiny, sparking debate among fans and former national players.
Meanwhile, Cklamovski praised Spain-born Gabriel Palmero, who impressed on his international debut despite being a new addition to the squad.
“He did really well — it’s not easy to play against that calibre of opponent. They’re a world-class team. He delivered a strong individual performance, but more importantly, he linked well with the team. I hope that made all Malaysians proud, because he is Malaysian,” he said.
Malaysia are set to face Cape Verde again in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on June 3.
The back-to-back fixtures form part of Malaysia’s preparations for their crucial Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam on June 10, also at Bukit Jalil.
Both nations currently top Group F with three points each, having won their respective opening matches.
“We’ll recover well and begin preparations for the next friendly, which will be another opportunity to test ourselves tactically and physically. From there, we continue building towards the big game against Vietnam,” said Cklamovski. — May 30, 2025