KUALA LUMPUR: Sensational young winger Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi once again stole the spotlight after scoring a hat-trick as Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) recorded a 4-0 victory over Selangor FC in the FA Cup semi-finals last night.
It was the 21-year-old’s second hat-trick in six days after scoring four goals to help Malaysia beat Papua New Guinea 10-0 in an international friendly in Terengganu last Tuesday.
The hat-trick created yesterday saw the 2021 and 2022 Most Valuable Player (MVP) collect a total of 14 goals this season - five in the Super League, four (FA Cup) and five with Harimau Malaya.
The progress and maturity achieved by Arif Aiman currently is so impressive that some former coaches and team managers described him as Asia’s best player in the making.
“This boy has a good attitude and focus in the game, if you look at his recent performances with the national team, he really stands out. In the new generation of players in Malaysia he is among the best.
“It is rare that we can see a local player with the ability like him, credit must also be given to JDT and I agree that he is the best player in Asia in the making,“ said former Harimau Muda A manager, Mohd Azraai Khor Abdullah who is one of the most experienced coaches in Malaysia.
Kuching City FC manager, Irfan Bakti Abu Salim who was recognised as the Best Coach of the National Football Awards in 2011 believes Arif Aiman has the characteristics to be the best player in Asia in future.
He also thinks that the product of the Mokhtar Dahari Football Academy (AMD) in Gambang, Pahang is comparable to Takefusa Kubo, a 22-year-old young player from Japan who is currently making a name for himself on the European stage with Spanish club Real Sociedad.
“If he is from Japan or South Korea, he would be playing in Italy and Spain. If you look at his game yesterday, it’s not much different from Kubo, the difference is that Kubo is left-footed while Arif Aiman is right-footed.
“Their skills are about the same, in terms of dexterity, dribbling, ball control and composure, but if you look at body swerve, it’s more to Arif Aiman. He is a natural and there is something special with Arif Aiman,” said the 72-year-old manager.
Also agreeing that Arif Aiman has something special and has the potential to become the best player in Asia is former national squad head coach Datuk K. Rajagobal.
“I am interested in his game not only in the Malaysian League but in the ACL (Asian Football Confederation) Champions League, so it is not impossible to become the best player in Asia if he maintains his performance and has a great desire.
“He can go far because those characteristics are already there such as the ability to absorb pressure in difficult situations, the ability to make decisions, all of that makes me see that he has something special,“ said Rajagobal lifted the AFF Cup with the national team in 2010.
However, if Arif Aiman wants to be named the best player in Asia, he will have to challenge himself to compete with the world’s leading players outside the country.
“Of course he can’t stop there (JDT) he needs to further develop his career abroad because he is still young,“ said Mohd Azraai.
Irfan Bakti said: “With his current ability, he deserves to play in the highest league competition. After the late Mokhtar Dahari and Datuk Soh Chin Aun, there is no other Malaysian player of such quality as Arif Aiman. He should go out and play abroad for his own good,”.
Rajagobal also thinks that Arif Aiman has proven that he is capable of performing in the world’s highest league.
“Here it is already seen that he can go to a higher level to play and gain more experience. The potential is there and it’s up to him.
“If he goes he can make JDT and the country proud, everything is not impossible, I think if Park Ji Sung can play in Manchester United and some other South Korean players can play in England why can’t we, he has that confidence,“ he said .
The title of Asian Player of the Year is currently held by the South Korean player Son Heung-min who plays with the English Premier League (EPL) club Tottenham Hotspur.-Bernama
