Former top striker Azman calls on young players to foray abroad

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 20  -- Azman Adnan, who played for Malaysia and Selangor in the 90s, wants more young players to make forays abroad so as to help raise the national squad's performance at the international level.

A prolific striker iin his heyday, Azman, 49, cited the example of Japanese and Korean players who managed to penetrate into top European leagues and used the experience to raise the quality of their national squads at the world level.

“So we must try to take a step forward. If we have talented players, send them (overseas), why not try? We won't know until we try, what is important is that we try, always stay positive.

“Take Japan as an example, how many of their players are plying their trade overseas? Korean (national) players? The more of their young players play in Europe, the better for their national teams,” he told reporters at the launching of his Azman Adnan clothing line here yesterday.

Currently, only two young Malaysian players are playing abroad, striker Luqman Hakim Shamsudin, 19, and Muhammad Safawi Rasid, 23, who succeeded in expanding their wings to top European leagues while several others are in Asian leagues, among them Japan and Thailand.

Luqman Hakim, who is also a pillar of the national Under-19 (U-19) squad, created history when he became the first Malaysian player to be in a top tier European side when he signed a five-year professional contract with Belgian club KV Kortrijk last August.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Safawi, who was a winger for Super League 2020 champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), completed his transfer on loan to Portuguese main league side, Portimonense SC, in October.

Azman said the impact of young national players playing overseas will become clearer if the national team had half such players.

“Imagine if eight national players are plying their trade overseas, and when they come back (to the national squad) with a different experience from the M-League (Malaysia League),” he said.

In fact, the former head coach of the Royal Malaysia Police team said the different atmosphere and experience gained by playing overseas will lead them to mature faster as players.

-- BERNAMA