Will the clubs be kind enough?
Under-23 coach Ong Kim Swee is already feeling the jitters ahead of the Asian Games — all his players might not be available for centralised training.
That is because the Asian Games preparation clashes with the Malaysia Cup schedule. Kim Swee had faced such a problem before, and he fears a repeat.
“I plan to start the final centralised training on Aug 1, 10 days before my players play in the Asian Games. But I am worried that some of those selected might not get leave from their clubs.
“If all the players are released by their clubs, and report on Aug 1, I can still hold a friendly on Aug 6 to test the squad.
“I have no idea if all of them can attend centralised training as the Malaysia Cup also begins early August.”
Looking at the situation, FAM and the clubs, as well as states, should have an early understanding when drawing up their calendars, so that this situation does not happen again and again.
When Kim Swee was preparing for the Under-23 AFC Cup in Thailand last July, only six out of the selected 26 players reported for camp.
The players later trickled in, in stages, but six main players Haziq Nadzli and Safawi Rasid (Johor), Syamer Kutty Abba and S. Kumaahran (Penang) and Matthew Davies and Nor Azam Azih (Pahang) were not released to play in the AFC Cup.
Despite such trying situations, Kim Swee still managed to take Malaysia to the AFC Under-23 semi-finals in China early in the year.
He believes that 10 days of centralised training is enough, provided everybody shows up.