Kuala lumpur: The noise surrounding the seven heritage players issue is getting louder by the day, but Harimau Malaya head coach Peter Cklamovski remains unfazed and continues with his plan ahead of their Group F match against Nepal in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup Qualifiers on Nov 18.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Australian coach said he preferred to focus on what he and his players could control rather than be distracted by the noises and speculation. He emphasized the importance of maintaining focus on daily preparations and expressed hope to make Malaysia proud through their performance, identity, and results, aiming to conclude the 2025 international year undefeated with strong gameplay.
Previously, FIFA rejected the appeal made by FAM and the seven players involved, namely Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal, and Hector Hevel. The FIFA Appeals Committee upheld the sanctions imposed by the governing body’s Disciplinary Committee against FAM and the seven heritage players for offences related to forgery of documents under Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC).
Following this, FAM was ordered to pay a fine of CHF350,000 (approximately RM1.8 million), while each player was fined CHF2,000 (about RM11,000). The seven players were also suspended for 12 months from all football-related activities.
Meanwhile, Cklamovski said he was inspired by the passion shown by his players, who remain committed despite uncertainty surrounding the eligibility of several heritage players. He highlighted the special energy within the group and the importance of hard work, humility, and continuous development to face tough opponents like Nepal.
In the meantime, Cklamovski said all the players called up for the national camp are expected to report today. He added that he was forced to drop two players who had previously featured for Harimau Malaya, namely Romel Morales and Muhammad Afiq Fazail, due to an injury sustained by Morales and personal issues faced by Fazail.