KUALA LUMPUR: The new Malaysia Under-23 coach, Nafuzi Zain, is keeping his options open in selecting players to don the Harimau Malaya jersey for the upcoming SEA Games campaign in Thailand, set to take place from Dec 7 to 19.
Nafuzi has begun scouting efforts since the start of this month, visiting several venues to personally assess players suitable for future call-ups.
The 46-year-old coach is looking to identify players with the potential to adapt to his tactical approach, which is based on positional play, a style famously known as “Nafuzi Ball”, a term coined by fans during his coaching stints with Terengganu and Kedah.
As such, he anticipates the first call-up for new players to take place around March, as part of the early preparation for the SEA Games in Thailand.
“For this year’s targets, we have three major tournaments which is the AFF U-23 Cup, the qualification for the 2026 AFC U-23 Cup, and the 2025 SEA Games. I’ve already started scouting since early January, and the national call-up for these players could happen in March.
“As for the player criteria, I have been monitoring teams and players involved in the Super League and MFL Cup. We’re looking at the potential of players who fit with our style of play,” said Nafuzi.
This presents a challenge for Nafuzi, as for this SEA Games, the host nation Thailand have set a rule that only players under the age of 22 can be listed, with no quota for overage players, unlike in previous editions.
However, he still has several players who have featured in previous editions, including the one in Cambodia two years ago, to strengthen the team.
“We know many of the players from previous tournaments are still capable of competing, and I’m open to include any player.
“I may also offer opportunities to new players and talents, and those who perform at their best will earn a spot in the team,” he added.
Since winning gold in 2011 in Indonesia, the national team have continued to fall short of claiming the prestigious gold medal at the biennial tournament.
In Cambodia two years ago, the team, under the guidance of E. Elavarasan, endured a disappointing campaign, failing to progress past the group stage.
