PETALING JAYA – Outgoing Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Tan Sri Hamidin Mohd Amin strongly believes that Harimau Malaya will have a solid start to the AFF Championship, which is scheduled to begin this week.
“We are not sure what kind of squad Pau Marti Vicente will assemble for the AFF Championship, but I can assure you that we will start strongly in our opening group match against Cambodia on Sunday,” he said.
Hamidin’s comments come in response to fans’ curiosity about Pau Marti’s squad selection after learning that rivals Indonesia and Thailand have opted for younger squads, predominantly featuring under-22 players.
It is understood that the Spaniard will have to make do with players who are allowed to be released by their respective clubs in the M-League.
Some teams have refused to release their players due to the tournament’s schedule, which is not within the FIFA international window.
However, Hamidin is confident in Pau Marti’s ability to achieve commendable results, regardless of the squad composition.
“I have complete trust in him, regardless of whether he selects an under-23 squad, senior players, or a balanced team. One thing is certain: he is excellent at what he does, and we all have full faith in his abilities.
“We will give him complete freedom to make the best decisions for the national team, free from external pressures,” Hamidin said during a press conference at Wisma FAM today.
Meanwhile, Malaysia has been drawn in Group A alongside Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, and Timor-Leste.
Ahead of the tournament, the national team beat Laos 3-1 and drew with India 1-1 in friendly matches arranged by the FAM.
Pau Marti, who replaced Kim Pan-gon as head coach in July, recently led Malaysia to victory in the Merdeka Cup with a squad averaging 25 years of age. — December 4, 2024