KUALA LUMPUR: Hector Hevel’s withdrawal from the national team with plantar fasciitis may have left a gap in the midfield, but coach Peter Cklamovski said he is not worried.
Cklamovski said the Harimau Malaya project has never been about individuals, and the inclusion of Shio Hong Wan from the standby list proves it.
World No. 125 Malaysia will play world No. 159 Singapore in a friendly at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Thursday.
Hong Wan, who recently returned from a year-and-a-half injury layoff, was given a late call-up after Hevel was ruled out.
For Cklamovski, the Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) midfielder represents resilience and opportunity rather than risk.
“Hong Wan is mentally strong, and he’s got the attributes to be a good player,” said Cklamovski.
“What’s important is not to put pressure on him, not from me, and not from himself. This is about using these eight days to keep growing, taking another step forward with the national team.”
After the Singapore match, Harimau Malaya will head to Iskandar Puteri, Johor, for another friendly against world No. 98 Palestine on Sept 8.
Both matches will offer FIFA ranking points, but the coach is more focused on progress.
“FIFA points are one aspect, but what matters most is our team performance,” he said.
“We’ve stamped our style of play in the last few matches, and we want to keep improving. Singapore will be one kind of challenge, Palestine another, but our objective is always the same — play our football, score goals, keep clean sheets, and make the nation proud.”
“We don’t rely on one player — we rely on the 11 on the field. Every camp is a chance to take another step forward. We’ve shown growth in every game this year, and now we want to show it again,” he said.
However, the first test comes against a Singapore team who will be without six regulars, including Hariss Harun and the Fandi brothers, Ikhsan, Ilhan, and Irfan.
Singapore caretaker coach Gavin Lee has called up 25 players for the friendly.
But Cklamovski refuses to see this as an advantage.
“It doesn’t matter who’s missing — the players coming in will be hungry to prove themselves. Respectfully, that’s them. For us, it’s about continuing to grow as Malaysia, on and off the pitch,” he said.
On the training camp, Cklamovski said the team will only be complete on Wednesday when Rodrigo Halgado arrives, just a day before they play the Lions.
Gabriel Palmero is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday, while the rest of the players gathered on Monday.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
