Sabah FC to advise Rizal to explain reason for rejecting Harimau Malaya call-up

KOTA KINABALU, March 16 (Bernama) -- The Sabah FC management team will advise their defender Rizal Ghazali to explain in detail to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) why he did not turn up for the Harimau Malaya centralised training camp.

Sabah, in a statement today, said the club never encouraged any of their players to reject national team call-ups.

The statement also said that the Sabah management team fully supported and, in fact, always cooperated with the national squad, including in the selection of players.

"As such, the Sabah team management will advise Rizal to provide a detailed explanation to FAM about his absence.

"Previously, Rizal had stated that he would return to his hometown in Kedah to attend to some family matters,” according to the statement.

Sabah team manager Marzuki Nasir will also get in touch with Rizal to get a clearer picture of the situation as they would never allow their players to reject national team call-ups.

This is because Sabah view the chance to represent the Harimau Malaya as the highest recognition and every footballer must be proud to be selected to join the national team, the statement added.

Rizal is set to face severe punishment if he does not have a solid reason for rejecting the invite to join the national team centralised training camp.

FAM secretary-general Mohd Saifuddin Abu Bakar had said that the punishment to be meted out on Rizal would be decided by their Disciplinary Committee.

Mohd Saifuddin said that, so far, they could not take any action as the centralised training camp was being held outside the FIFA international window.

-- BERNAMA