NATIONAL football squad defender Dion Cools has deferred the decision on Harimau Malaya’s potential friendly matches in September to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and team management.
He emphasised that the team still has ample time to prepare for the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers scheduled for October and November. This comes after Malaysia’s withdrawal from the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup 2025, set to take place in Tajikistan from Aug 29 to Sept 8.
“I think it’s bad news (withdrawing from the 2025 CAFA Cup), but at the same time the management has done its best. We have work to do for the Asian Cup qualifiers, and I think that’s the most important thing for us,” Cools said.
He added, “September is the best time for us to prepare for October (the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers against Laos) because we want to go to Saudi Arabia (the 2027 Asian Cup finals) and I think the management will make the right decision, and we have to trust that they will make the right decision. I don’t want to panic about it, just stay with the team.”
Cools made these remarks during the launch of a special edition jersey in collaboration with an international sportswear brand.
FAM had earlier cited the rescheduling of CAFA Cup matches outside FIFA’s international window as the reason for Malaysia’s withdrawal, as clubs are not obligated to release players during non-FIFA dates. – Bernama
