Kuala lumpur: The challenge of preparing players during the off-season and the need to secure the cooperation of football clubs will be Tan Cheng Hoe's main focus after being appointed the Harimau Malaya interim head coach ahead of next month's ASEAN Championship campaign. He said the current situation is far from ideal for the national squad as most players are in their off-season, thus requiring a meticulous approach to ensure their performance levels can be maintained.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Cheng Hoe expressed hopes that clubs will release key players for the national team to undergo training for the ASEAN Championship. In an audio clip released to the media today, he emphasized the importance of players reporting for duty in peak physical and mental condition. Training is scheduled to begin on July 15.

As for the national team's target at the July 24-Aug 26 ASEAN Championship, Cheng Hoe stated that their main focus is to prepare in stages and approach each match individually. He highlighted the importance of achieving the best possible results, acknowledging that every team will aim to qualify for the next stage.

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) announced Cheng Hoe's appointment as the interim head coach of Harimau Malaya, replacing Peter Cklamovski whose contract was terminated this month. Cheng Hoe described the appointment as an honor and expressed gratitude to FAM and all parties for their trust in him.

In the ASEAN Championship, Malaysia is drawn in Group B with Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar, and Laos. Defending champions Vietnam are in Group A with Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Timor-Leste. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.