Arul wants his team to pick up a thing or two from quick thinking Aussies

PETALING JAYA: Quick feet versus quick thinking. That’s how Malaysia coach A. Arulselvraj describes Malaysia’s encounter against world No. 1 side Australia in a four-match test series starting today in Perth.

Malaysia, known worldwide for their speedy players, will be exposed to a side known for their quick thinking ability, which Arulselvaraj described as the best in the world.

He said the four matches will help his boys to not only employ their fast movements but also adapt to situations where they have to make split decisions on the pitch.

“From these four games, I want to see them fight till the end. That would be the focus. I want them to fight every minute and savour the experience of playing against a world No. 1 side,” he said.

“We are building this team up for the Asian Games, so we need to face the best to test out a few things. But I want my boys to learn from the Australians, who, to me, are the best quick thinking side in the world.

“We have players with quick feet but I want to increase their speed of thought on the pitch. Plus, I am working on several combinations in attack and midfield.

“We have work rate and pace, so we will continue to build on that and hope they will learn from their stint in Australia.”

The squad of 22 include newcomers – midfielder Tengku Nasrul Ikmal Hakimie Tengku Abdul Rahim and forward Muhajir Abdu Rauf – who are set to earn their first international caps during the friendlies.

Malaysia will play their first match against Australia today followed by tomorrow and Tuesday with the final game scheduled for Thursday.