PETALING JAYA: Harimau Malaya are ready to take up the gauntlet of reaching the top 15 in the Asian football ranking someday.
Harimau Malaya head coach Kim Pan Gon, however, said such a mission won't happen overnight unless the whole team works their socks off to make the FA of Malaysia's (FAM) dream come true.
"We may face a difficult situation in reaching the top 15 in Asia, but everybody must be united in any circumstances, give support and encourage each other to move forward," he told reporters when met here, yesterday (August 8).
Last Monday, FAM president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin expressed hope in seeing the national team, who are ranked 24th in Asia, moving up the rungs and reaching the top 15 in the future.
Meanwhile, Pan Gon said he will prepare the best squad possible to play in the two Tier 1 international friendlies in Chengdu, China, next month.
He said this includes calling up Johor Darul Ta'zim's (JDT) sensational winger Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi to feature in the two friendlies against Syria on Sept 6 and China on Sept 9.
Although Arif Aiman could be available to play for the Under-23 2024 Asian Cup qualifier which takes place from September 4 to September 12, Pan Gon has insisted on using the services of Arif Aiman for the senior squad's task against China.
"We will try to select the best players for the two friendlies in Chengdu, to prepare for the second round of the 2026 World Cup / 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers this November followed by the 2023 Asian Cup campaign in Qatar next January," he said.
The national men's U-23 squad have been drawn against Thailand, Bangladesh and the Philippines in Group H, to vie for a place in the finals which will be held in Qatar from April 15 to May 3 next year.
In the second round of the 2026 World Cup / 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers, which will begin in November, Malaysia have been drawn in Group D with Oman, Kyrgyzstan and the winner of the playoff between Taiwan and Timor Leste.
As for the 2023 Asian Cup Finals from Jan 12 - Feb 10 next year, Malaysia are in Group E with two-time champions South Korea, Jordan and Bahrain. --BERNAMA
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