KUALA LUMPUR: Some may dub Harimau Malaya winger Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi (pix) a ‘star player’ but the youngster is, in fact, one of the most hard-working players, thanks to his all-action performance whenever he dons the national jersey.
“Don’t label me a star player. That title should be attributed to all the players on the Harimau Malaya squad... not individuals,” the 20-year-old said after another solid performance in the 2-0 win over Hong Kong in the Tier 1 international friendly at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
There is no doubt that Arif Aiman played a pivotal role in the win despite him not finding the back of the net.
Against Hong Kong, he stole the show with his intelligent off-the-ball running and positioning to leave the opponents’ defence in sixes and sevens, besides causing havoc to their backline with his speed and accurate crosses into the box.
It says a lot about his character and attitude when Arif Aiman described himself as someone who isn’t easily contented with his performance.
The wing wizard said he can’t help but give his everything when he is on the field.
“I will run till I drop and try until I am satisfied,” said Arif Aiman, who was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the 2021 National Football Awards ceremony.
He was also quick to point out that there’s no secret behind the mature and composed performances that he has shown so far, including on the international stage.
“That’s because I consider football a hobby. I’ve always liked football and never thought of it as a burden and this (playing football) is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” he explained.
Arif Aiman is the youngest player named by Harimau Malaya head coach Kim Pan Gon for the centralised training camp as the South Korean strives to forge a formidable squad for next week’s Asian Cup 2023 Qualifiers.
But the Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) player is not going to take his place in the starting 11 for granted, saying he is ready to work on his weaknesses so that he can continue to perform at the highest level in the three Group E matches in the qualifiers, namely against Turkmenistan on June 8, Bahrain (June 11) and Bangladesh (June 14).
“I hope tonight’s (yesterday’s) match is the starting point for me to prepare myself for the Asian Cup 2023 Qualifiers,” he said. - Bernama
