KUALA LUMPUR: There were raised eyebrows when the 27-member squad for the Asian Cup 2027 third-round qualifier against Nepal was announced without the names of Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) duo Romel Morales and Afiq Fazail.
But head coach Peter Cklamovski is not reading too much into it.
Instead, Cklamovski believes the new faces called up will inject fresh energy and excitement into the national side against Nepal on Nov 18 at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil. Cklamovski clarified that the absence of Morales and Afiq was unavoidable.
“Romel has picked up a minor injury, while Jambu (Afiq) needs to be with his family for personal reasons,” said the Australian.
In their place, Cklamovski has brought in Kuala Lumpur midfielder Ryan Lambert and Selangor attacker Aliff Izwan Yuslan, both of whom will be hoping to earn their first senior caps.
“Aliff, who has come through the Under-23 programme, is one of the promising young players joining us, and we’re eager to see him grow within the senior environment,” said Cklamovski.
“Ryan has earned his call-up on merit. He’s been performing consistently well for several years and has contributed significantly to Kuala Lumpur’s success.
“He deserves this opportunity, and I hope he takes it and makes the nation proud.”
One of the more debated inclusions is JDT defender Junior Eldstal, who has yet to feature in the Super League this season and has been playing for the club’s reserve side in the A1 Semi-Pro League.
However, Cklamovski stood firm by his decision.
“I’m proud of what Junior brings to the team. There’s always speculation about selections, but he’s a great addition.
“Every spot is up for grabs – no one is guaranteed a place in the starting XI. The 27 players in camp will all fight for their positions, and I’m excited for that competition.”
Cklamovski also outlined his approach for the November camp, describing it as a training block aimed at fine-tuning fitness, tactics, and intensity before the clash with Nepal.
“The first few days will focus on recovery, and then we’ll gradually build up the intensity.
“We want to improve our tempo, tactical awareness, and physical readiness in a controlled environment, so we’re at our best on matchday.”
The 47-year-old added that maintaining team spirit remains a priority, especially amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding Malaysian football.
Looking ahead to the Nepal game, Cklamovski expects a tough test, especially with their opponents recently appointing a new coach Hari Khadka.
“We may not know exactly how Nepal will line up, but we’ll be ready for anything. We want to end the year playing great football and send the fans home smiling.”
