Tag: Harimau Malaya

Harimau Malaya’s ranking falls, Cklamovski remains optimistic

KUALA LUMPUR: The Harimau Malaya squad's 14-place drop in rankings to 135th in the world has been described as a huge blow to head coach Peter Cklamovski. However, the Australian coach stressed that his squad remained positive despite the controversy that has engulfed the Malaysian football arena, and believed that efforts to break into the world's top 100 were still on the right track. He said everything within the team's control had been implemented well, including training aspects, playing style and tactical analysis, while describing external obstacles as temporary challenges that needed to be overcome. "Of course, in the last 12 months, we've been on the right track. The way we train, the way we play, the way we analyse opponents, the way we evaluate games, and how we can continue to develop football has been implemented well. "Things off the field have affected us, it's just a temporary setback, but for me, every great story has a negative aspect, and we need to take it as a lesson," he said when met ahead of the final Group F match of the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers against Vietnam here yesterday. Cklamovski said time would be the deciding factor in realising this wish after taking over Harimau Malaya in 2024. Yesterday, the International Football Federation (FIFA) released the latest rankings for Harimau Malaya, which fell 14 places to 135th in the world with 1,095.90 points. The significant drop was due to the heavy punishment imposed by FIFA following the issue of document forgery involving seven players with illegal heritage. Earlier, FIFA annulled the results of three friendly matches against Cape Verde, Singapore and Palestine by awarding a 0-3 free victory to the opposing team. The situation became worse when the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) also took similar action against two 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers matches against Vietnam and Nepal, which also used the services of the players involved. The AFC's decision declaring Malaysia to have lost 0-3 in the match not only took away the country's ranking points, but also confirmed the failure of Harimau Malaya to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup.

KUALA LUMPUR — The Harimau Malaya squad’s 14-place drop in rankings to 135th in the world has been described as a huge blow to head coach Peter Cklamovski. However, the Australian coach stressed that his squad remained positive despite the controversy that has engulfed the Malaysian football arena, and believed that efforts to break into […]

Harimau Malaya To Give Their Best In Match Against Vietnam.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Their 2027 Asian Cup qualification hopes may be over, but Harimau Malaya remain undeterred. Harimau Malaya chief executive officer Rob Friend said they will now head to Hanoi for the last Group F match of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers third round against Vietnam on March 31 with intent. “Our attention is fully focused on preparation for the upcoming match against Vietnam, where the team will compete with the same belief, resilience, and discipline that the team has displayed throughout 2025,” he said in a statement today. Malaysia were unbeaten across all eight competitive matches throughout last year including outplaying Vietnam 4-0 at the National Stadium, Bukit Jalil, here on June 10. Friend said they acknowledged the decision issued by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Disciplinary and Ethics Committee regarding the points deduction for Malaysia. “We respect the regulatory processes of the competition. At the same time, this matter is currently being reviewed through the appropriate legal channels. “Throughout this period, our priority remains clear to support our players and staff, and to ensure they are in the best possible position to represent Malaysia with professionalism, unity, and pride,” he said. The Canadian also took the opportunity to thank supporters for their continued belief in the team despite the heritage players controversy that rocked Malaysian football previously. On Tuesday, Malaysia were declared to have lost 3-0 to Nepal and Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying matches after the AFC ruled that Harimau Malaya had fielded ineligible players in those games. Following the penalty, Harimau Malaya have accumulated only nine points in the qualifiers and lost their spot in the 2027 Asian Cup. Before the decision, Malaysia led the group with 15 points, followed by Vietnam with 12, Laos with three, and Nepal without any points. Even if Malaysia defeat Vietnam in the final group match on March 31, it would still not be enough for the national squad to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup, as they would have only 12 points, while Vietnam would top the group with 15. Only the top team in the group qualifies for the Asian Cup finals in Saudi Arabia from Jan 7 to Feb 5. AFC had opened an investigation into Football Association of Malaysia over alleged document falsification involving seven heritage players, who had earlier been suspended by International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) in September over the same allegations. The seven players are Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Gabriel Palmero, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel.

KUALA LUMPUR — Their 2027 Asian Cup qualification hopes may be over, but Harimau Malaya remain undeterred. Harimau Malaya chief executive officer Rob Friend said they will now head to Hanoi for the last Group F match of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers third round against Vietnam on March 31 with intent. “Our attention is fully focused on […]