MALAYSIAN SALAH
JDT’s Safawi and the Liverpool star have similar style of play and both love scoring goals
APART from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the other name that rolls off the tongues of Malaysian footballers is Mohamed Salah.
The Liverpool star has captured the imagination of many MLeague players with his exploits in the EPL.
So, which Malaysian player has shown the skills and techniques in the mould of the Egyptian Salah?
NST Sport asked the local football fraternity, and the name that came closest to showing shades of Salah is Safawi Rashid.
The current crop of top Malaysian players may not have the chance to play in the Premier League but they definitely have good skills, just like any other professionals in the world.
While Salah is a defender’s nightmare in the Premier League, Johor Darul Ta’zim’s (JDT) Safawi is also a player feared by other clubs in the Super League.
Both share similar characteristics, excellent techniques, great speed and deadly finishing.
Safawi, who is from Terengganu, was first scouted as a 15year-old by the Dungun T-Team Academy, before he made his senior debut for the club, now known as Terengganu FC II at age 16.
Safawi, who can play on the flanks, starred for the club for two seasons before joining JDT in 2017.
It was a career-defining season in 2018 following his exploits for both club and country.
He was part of the national youth team that reached the quarter-finals of the AFC Under23 Championships and also the last-16 of the Indonesia Asian Games, both last year.
After helping JDT win their fifth straight Super League crown, he led Malaysia to the final of the AFF Cup.
Safawi, 22, who has received offers from top clubs in Thailand, still has age on his side to reach the top of his game.
National youth coach Ong Kim Swee, who has seen many local players with potential disappear from the scene in the past, hopes the current crop will be able to reach their full potential.
“We cannot compare our players with those in the Premier League. In Europe, players are taught to be professional on and off the pitch from young.
“Furthermore, they are also exposed to modern ways using sports science methods to improve.
“We need our system to be rebooted in order to produce players like Salah.
“If we do not start now, we will never be there.
“Of course, JDT are one of the few clubs who emphasise on development and the team have everything in place to groom the next generation of players,” said Kim Swee.
Among the players who failed to achieve their full potential after a promising junior career were Rozaimi Abdul Rahman, Wan Zack Haikal Wan Nor, Irfan Fazail and Wan Zaharulnizam Wan Zakaria.