KUALA LUMPUR: Expect a few new faces to make their debuts in the national football team for the Cambodia SEA Games.
National Under-23 coach E. Elavarasan has called up 19 new players in the 25-man squad to undergo a six-day centralised training camp at the FAM Headquarters in Kelana Jaya to gauge them in a series of testS before the best team are selected for the biennial Games from April 29-May 15.
Elavarasan had no choice but to try out many youngsters as hosts Cambodia have lowered the eligibility age to 22, with only two players older than that allowed to play in the SEA Games.
“Only the Under-22s are allowed two play, including two quota spots for players above that age.
‘‘I’ve taken that opportunity to test many new players,” said Elavarasan.
“We will gauge their standard during the six days before the main players from the previous edition of the SEA Games (in Vietnam) will be called up for another centralised training next month,” he said.
Elavarasan certainly knows how to keep the selection interesting.
He has picked Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) midfielder Fergus Tierney, who is of Scottish heritage.
Fergus was born in Scotland but has trained in Malaysia for many years, which has enabled him to be a naturalised player.
The 21-year-old has trained in various academics in Asia and Europe and for the last three years, he has been training with Penang and now JDT.
With this development, Fergus could soon be featuring for JDT II in the feeder league, but Elavarasan wants to test him out first for the Harimau Muda.
The other newbie is Ahmad Haziq Kutty Abba, the younger brother of national player Syamer Kutty Abba, who plays as a striker for Penang II in the feeder league.
The lanky 19-year-old player has been earmarked as one to watch for the future as he is capable of playing as a lone target man.
The other young players he selected are winger Hakimi Mat Isa (Perak), midfielder Ibrahim Manusi (Pahang), and goalkeeper Azim Al-Amin Kamaruddin (Kuala Lumpur).
THE SQUAD
Syahirul Fazly Zaini, Fergus Tierney, Najmudin Akmal Kamal Akmal, Syukur Fariz Januri, Umar Hakeem Suhar Redzuwan (JDT II); Kamal Arif Azrai Shakimar, Hakimi Mat Isa, Farriz Idzham Awang Kechik, Firdaus Ahmad Fuad (Perak II);
Sikh Izhan Sikh Nazrel Azman, Firdaus Irman Fadhil, Vimal Nair Sugu, Syaqimi Karim, Afiq Fitri Jeffry (Negri Sembilan); Nadzwin Salleh, T. Saravanan, Azim Al-Amin Kamaruddin (Kuala Lumpur II); Faiz Amer Runnizar, Aliff Izwan Yuslan (Selangor II); Ibrahim Manusi, Syaahir Saiful Nizam (Pahang); Ahmad Haziq Kutty Abba (Penang II); Adam Mukriz Syamsul Ariffin (Kedah II); and Syukran Pauzi, Sahil Hasni (FAM-MSN).
