Absence Of Harimau Malaya Stalwarts An Opportunity For Others To Shine - Cheng Hoe

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 (Bernama) -- Interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe believes the absence of key players for Harimau Malaya’s international friendly against China tomorrow paves the way for others to prove their worth at the international level.

While admitting that the squad he took to China for the friendly was not the strongest due to the absence of several key players for various reasons, he remained optimistic about the capabilities of those given the opportunity to wear the national jersey.

He acknowledged that even the new players had ambitions and dreams of proving themselves at international level, making the match in China an important platform for them to gain experience.

“As a coach, I cannot use the absence of our best players or stalwarts as an excuse.

“I remain positive and I want to give the players the opportunity to play in this international friendly. Most importantly, they will gain experience and the confidence to continue their journey with the national team,” he said in an audio clip shared by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) today.

Commenting on tomorrow’s friendly against China at the Zhaoqing New District Sports Centre Stadium in Guangdong, Cheng Hoe acknowledged that their opponents had the advantage in terms of physical strength and experience, adding that the standard of football in China was higher than in Malaysia.

However, he reminded his players to focus on their own performance and believe they can give a good challenge to their hosts, who have already qualified for the Asian Cup Finals.

For the record, China are ranked 96th in the world, while Malaysia are 133rd.

Malaysia have failed to beat China in their last five meetings since 2004, losing three times and drawing twice.

The two teams last met in 2023, drawing 1-1 in an international friendly.

-- BERNAMA