PETALING JAYA: National football head coach Pau Marti Vicente aims to conclude his journey with the Harimau Malaya squad on a high note as they prepare for the upcoming 2024 ASEAN Championship. The 41-year-old Spaniard, who will step down after the tournament, expressed his desire to clinch the biennial championship, a dream he shares with his players.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Vicente acknowledged the challenges awaiting his team, which features a blend of seasoned players and emerging talents. “This is a dream, a dream for all Malaysians, also for me and for the players. We know it will be very tough. I think this year was very difficult to get the squad. The league is still playing, and it’s difficult to get clubs to release players, but we understand the clubs because they also have their commitments,” he said. Vicente emphasized the limited options but expressed confidence in the team’s motivation, highlighting the mix of experienced and young players.
Vicente was speaking during a centralised
training session for the Harimau Malaya squad at the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) headquarters in Kelana Jaya today, ahead of the 2024 ASEAN Championship. Earlier, in a statement issued by FAM, Vicente, who guided the team to victory in the Pestabola Merdeka 2024 in September, confirmed that the ASEAN Championship would mark his final assignment as the national team head coach. Previously an assistant to former head coach Kim Pan Gon, Vicente took over the reins following Pan Gon’s sudden resignation in July.
Meanwhile, Vicente revealed that defender Declan Lambert and goalkeeper Kalamullah Al-Hafiz Mat Rowi would join the squad after the opening Group A match against Cambodia in Phnom Penh this Sunday (Dec 8). Malaysia will then face Timor-Leste at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium on Dec 11, defending champions Thailand in Bangkok on Dec 14, and conclude their group-stage campaign against Singapore at the National Stadium on Dec 20. Malaysia last won the ASEAN Championship, formerly known as the A
SEAN Football Federation (AFF) Cup, in 2010.