Malaysia's youth team coach aims for Asian Cup 2027 after defeat to Vietnam U17

Mr. Shukor stated he will consult National Football Development Program (NFDP) Director Ong Kim Swee to find solutions to strengthen the youth squad for the upcoming Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.

“We still have five months before the Asia Cup qualifiers begin. Although five months may seem long, I feel this period is quite short for preparation, and we will try our best to ensure the U16 players are ready for the tournament,” he said.

“Before the qualifiers, I will sit down with the management, especially Mr. Kim Swee, to plan the direction for the U16 team in the five months before the tournament starts. What we observed is the need for more international matches so players can adapt to higher-level competition. AFC qualifiers differ from AFF. We will wait for the group draw results, then plan friendly matches and training camps accordingly,” he added.

Commenting on the defeat to Vietnam U17, Mr. Shukor said many lessons were learned from the Southeast Asia U17 Championship.

“In reality, not many people had high expectations for this youth team because we only used a U16 squad,” the former Malaysian national player stated.

“In the final, we understood that Vietnam is a strong team, well-balanced in both technique and physicality. This is because they are preparing for the Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia. Clearly there is a gap between us and Vietnam, despite being only about a year apart in age. In terms of experience, Vietnamese players were more composed than ours,” he acknowledged.

“After two defeats to Vietnam, the coaching staff will conduct detailed analyses both individually and collectively. Then, we will improve identified weaknesses, especially in physical fitness. For me, this tournament was very meaningful for the U16 players as they gained international match experience. Now they understand that international arenas present both very difficult challenges and challenges that can be overcome,” he shared.

Nevertheless, Malaysia's youth coach also affirmed: “The most important thing for young players is accumulating experience when facing strong teams, even within Southeast Asia. In the Asian Cup qualifiers, we will have to face even stronger opponents.”