Malaysia no longer pushovers, says pundit Richard Scully ahead of CAFA Nations Cup clash with Iran
He said any opponent would be wise not to underestimate them, as he believes the national squad has undergone a major transformation and is now in the right shape to take on stronger sides.
He said Malaysia's recent resurgence has not gone unnoticed, with opponents beginning to take notice, a clear sign that the team is no longer being seen as underdogs.
'It's too early to predict anything, but what's clear is that teams are starting to pay close attention to Malaysia. The Malaysia of old is not the same as the Malaysia of today.
'Now, any team facing us will be on alert. I don't expect there to be big scorelines from either side,' he told Bernama.
Scully has urged the Harimau Malaya to step onto the pitch without being weighed down by world rankings, insisting that 'numbers are just numbers' and anything can happen once the whistle blows.
He stressed that while a win would be a welcome bonus, a loss should not be seen as a disaster, but rather a chance to identify and address weaknesses ahead of bigger battles to come.
Apart from facing heavyweights Iran, Malaysia (ranked 131st) will also take on hosts Tajikistan (104th) and Afghanistan (160th) in Group B of the CAFA Nations Cup.
Malaysia will kick off their campaign against Tajikistan on Aug 29, followed by clashes with Iran on Sept 1 and Afghanistan on Sept 4. All matches will be played in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
After the tournament, Malaysia will resume their remaining Group F fixtures in the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers, starting with matches against Laos in Vientiane on Oct 9 and in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 14. They will then face Nepal in Kathmandu on Nov 18, before taking on Vietnam away in March next year.
Meanwhile, sports analyst Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli cautioned that three straight defeats in the group stage could shake fan confidence in the new-look Harimau Malaya, especially among those still unconvinced by the inclusion of heritage players.
'At the very least, we need to reach the semi-finals for fans to continue feeling proud of this Harimau Malaya side.
'If we suffer heavy losses or crash out early, expectations will dip and it'll give critics of the heritage player concept the opening they've been waiting for to lash out,' he said.
He also urged for the consistent inclusion of heritage players throughout the tournament, believing their presence is key to strengthening what he described as one of Malaysia's strongest squads in recent memory. — Bernama
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