KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 — The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has revealed Harimau Malaya had the opportunity to hold friendlies against world footballing giants Brazil and Argentina at the end of last year.
However, FAM president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin said the governing body and national squad head coach Kim Pan Gon are of the opinion it is not yet the time for the national squad to face two of the world’s top teams from the South American continent.
He said Kim is also of the view that it would be more appropriate for the national squad to play against teams of their own level, ahead of the 2023 Asian Cup in January next year.
"Brazil (offered) to play the match but I did not want to (commit) because this is not the time. I could have done it (arranged the friendly) if just for show (gaining popularity) but it is not the time yet, and Kim does not want it as well.
"Maybe when the time is right (we will hold a friendly match against Brazil)," said Hamidin after holding a meeting with national badminton men's singles player Lee Zii Jia, yesterday night.
He was asked to comment on the Indonesian team meeting 2022 World Cup champions Argentina in a friendly match in Jakarta on June 19.
Hamidin added that Argentina had also reached out to FAM for a friendly match with Harimau Malaya.
"I have a good relationship with Argentina as well, and they invited us, but Kim did not want to (commit). If you want to have a friendly, you have to have a realistic team (to face)," he said.
Meanwhile, Hamidin said FAM had issues with replacing the match against Yemen with Papua New Guinea for the Tier 1 international action on June 20.
He said Papua New Guinea was a suitable team to replace Yemen, as the two teams were similar in Fifa rankings, with Yemen in 157th position and Papua New Guinea in 159th.
Meanwhile, Hamidin said the coaching staff would make plans to ensure the national squad could play with higher-ranking teams by December or January.
Harimau Malaya is scheduled to face its first international Tier 1 action against the Solomon Islands on June 14, before facing Papua New Guinea on June 20, both at the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Kuala Nerus, Terengganu.
— Bernama
