Striker Kogi hopes to find his bite for SEA Games

PETALING JAYA: Striker M. Kogileswaran Raj has not been all that hot for Pahang in the Super League, with only seven appearances and one goal to show in the 2019 season.

So he is hoping the Philippines SEA Games will be a different story.

The 21-year-old has been a part of the Under-23 side for the past two years, featuring in the 2018 AFC Under-23 Championship and 2018 Indonesia Asian Games.

He, however, missed out on the 2020 AFC Under-23 Championship qualifiers which were held in Shah Alam in March with an ankle injury.

The Kuala Lumpur lad said he was glad that national Under-23 coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee still has faith in him despite his unimpressive 2019 M-League season.

“Coach Kim Swee’s belief in me is a motivation ... he always calls me up to the national Under-23 team centralised training and I need to thank him for his faith in me.

“I was looking forward to playing in the 2020 AFC Under-23 qualifiers earlier this year but I could not join the training camp as I tore my ankle ligament and was sidelined for two months.

“I know I didn’t play much in the M-League with my club this season and I need to redouble my efforts in training to make the SEA Games squad.

“I can’t take this call-up for granted.”

Kogileswaran, fondly called Kogi by his teammates, made his name with the national Under-16 team who reached the quarter-finals of the AFC Under-16 Championship and being one win away from qualifying to the 2015 Under17 World Cup.

Kogi, who made the Under-23 training squad with two other players from the 2015 Under-16 players R. Dinesh and Mohd Amirul Ashraf Ariffin, said the tough competition in the M-League makes it hard for youngsters to stamp their mark.

“It’s not easy to make the grade from the youth squad to the senior team.

“We will have to wait for the chance ... the key is to have mental strength and never give up,” added Kogileswaran.

The SEA Games will be held from Nov 30 to Dec 11.