Training Camps

Both the National Squad and the Under-23 team are both at their respective locations preparing themselves for upcoming tasks. National team will be looking to achieve their target 2015. While Harimau Muda A begin their preparations for the upcoming SEA game where they'll be looking to make it a hat trick of gold medals.

Harimau Muda A, the team now is down at Australia for four friendly matches in Brisbane. Today (26th Jan 2013) they face their first opponents Gold Coast Sharks. After that there will be a remaining 3 matchs left in their Australian adventure. The young tigers will depart to face Myanmar later next month. In March 15th, they'll be off for five months at Slovakia playing 15 friendly matches. 

All of this to build up experience and preparation for the 2013 edition of the SEA Games. Fans are confident in the head coach Ong Kim Swee in his methods to lead his young team to the goal for the second time during his stint. Via his official twitter account, we here deduct that head coach Ong Kim Swee usual stress to his team about the mental aspect of the beautiful game. Which is very welcoming. The head coach learnt that the hard way during the olympics qualifiers.

On to the National squad, the players called up are expected to link up at Wisma FAM later today. Over the week many injuries occurred to several players, such as Safee Sali, Norfarhan, Mahali and a few to name. It is confirm that Safee will miss the upcoming friendly and away qualifier game against Iraq and Qatar respectively. Many are keeping an eye on Mahali as he is a key figure of the Malaysian back four. 

To add on the injury news, this is the second player claimed by the Shah Alam Stadium pitch. And one of a handful of player due to fatigue and overworked due to the Malaysian League and domestic club competition congested fixtures. Many fans call on the FAM to kindly review this, for next season. 

Back to the national set up, many are skeptical about getting all three points away to Qatar. But there are calls for optimism, as last year our under 22 team beat their under 22 team in a 2-nil victory. Malaysians expect at least a point away would be enough to satisfy. A win would give Malaysians something to hope for. Either a win or a draw will be a good result to build on when the team continues another two matches at home in the middle of March against Oman and Yemen.

Malaysian fans remember fondly of facing teams from the middle-east. Due to the football-ing culture of time wasting, a few dirty tactics and ball in the box Don Revie tactics. It will be sweet to claim a few scalps during the qualifiers. To think about it Dirty Don did manage several side in the middle east maybe his philosophy influence the region with his dirtiness. Will do more research on that.

It is unofficial where our home qualifying game will be held. Majority of fans do want our home qualifiers to be held at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil. Here @ Padang Bola Sepak Malaysia we want Bukit Jalil!

Head Coach K. Rajagopal will be looking to answer his critiques wrong in the upcoming year. Hopefully King Raja learn his lessons from the AFF Suzuki Cup 2012 edition, so that we won't repeat our mistakes and last the game for 90 minutes.