Cheng Hoe: Young lads are waiting in the wing
PETALING JAYA: Youngsters Safawi Rasid and Akhyar Rashid are not at their best and are facing criticism from fans but national football coach Tan Cheng Hoe is confident the two wingers will come good for Malaysia.
Safawi, 22, and Akhyar, 20, both of Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), have not shown their true form in the 2022 World Cup-2023 Asian Cup qualifiers but Cheng Hoe said their commitment should not be doubted. Instead, they should be given time to mature.
“Yes, I admit they have not shown their true form, but they are the future of Harimau Malaya,” said the former Kedah coach.
“Safawi started in all the qualifying games in Group G but he has yet to score. Still, his allaround display shouldn’t be faulted.
“As for Akhyar, he is very young and will learn from his past performances. He is not starting regularly for his club but he will get going in the coming years.
In the first three games against Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam, Safawi didn’t score a goal, but for his club it’s been a different story.
In the Malaysia Cup final, the Dungun-born lad helped the Super League champions lift the coveted title by playing an instrumental role in their 3-0 win against Kedah.
He scored a sumptuous freekick and was dangerous throughout with his mazy runs and linkup play with his teammates. Throughout the Cup competition, Safawi scored 11 goals for his club. In all competitions this year, he scored 20.
Many are expecting him to replicate his club form for the national team and hope he will find the mark against Thailand and Indonesia on Nov 14 and Nov 19 respectively at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
Akhyar has struggled to impose himself in the JDT first eleven and has been used as an impact substitute in the Super League.
In the Malaysia Cup, he was only given a bit-part and there are worries that his growth as a player would be stunted. Akhyar, known for his dribbling skills, is still a key player for the Malaysian Under-23 side.
The other wingers selected by Cheng Hoe for the 26-man training squad are Kedah’s Farhan Roslan and Pahang’s Mohamadou Sumareh.
“Some have questioned my decision to select Akhyar but I have my reasons. I know what he is capable of,” said Cheng Hoe.
“The two are our future. I believe they will come good for us. The fans will surely warm up to them in the upcoming matches. Just trust the process.”
All 26 players selected for the training squad reported for training today at Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya.
Harimau Malaya will play Tajikistan in an international friendly on Nov 9, and after the game, Cheng Hoe will decide on his 23-men squad for the two qualifying games.