Clear skies a welcome change
at the Aung San Stadium in preparation for the AFF Cup yesterday. THE rainy weather and slippery pitches in Kuala Lumpur probably affected the national team’s preparations but it is clear skies in Yangon as the players go through their final phases before facing Cambodia in an AFF Cup Group B match on Sunday.
National coach Ong Kim Swee has conducted two solid sessions so far in Myanmar with the players focusing on tactical drills without having to worry about getting injured in dry weather.
“It is nice to train in this weather but frankly the players are now getting used to the heat here,” said Kim Swee before the training at Aung San Stadium yesterday.
“The weather here at 3pm is humid. We will start training at 3.30pm tomorrow and at 3pm the following day as our opening two matches are in the afternoon.
“The heat is not a problem. I think the players will get adapted to it quickly before the first game.”
The team trained in the afternoon early last week to prepare for matches against Cambodia and Vietnam but it was raining daily in Kuala Lumpur.
The coach indicated that most players who played against Papua New Guinea (PNG) will likely start against Cambodia.
“I have analysed the players’ performances in that match and I will also review others in training.
“But there will not be many changes against Cambodia.”
Kim Swee has also forgotten the incident in Myanmar when he was the national youth coach.
In 2012, Kim Swee’s youth squad lost 2-1 to Myanmar, who allegedly fielded overage players that halted his team’s progress in the AFC Under-22 qualifiers.
“It is different then and now. I am the national coach now and the focus is only on getting into the semifinals,” Kim Swee added.