Harimau Malaya pull out of CAFA Cup over player release, travel chaos

New Straits Times

16-07-2025

KUALA LUMPUR: After weeks of hype, Harimau Malaya's debut at the CAFA Nations Cup has been called off, with the national team pulling out due to logistical hurdles and player availability issues.
World No. 125 Malaysia were drawn in Group B alongside Asian giants Iran (No. 18), Tajikistan (No. 104) and Afghanistan (No. 161).
The matches were scheduled to take place in Tajikistan from Aug 29-Sept 8.
But with the tournament set just outside the official FIFA international window (Sept 1-9), the national team struggled to secure key players, particularly those based overseas in Spain, Argentina and Colombia.
Clubs are not obliged to release players outside the window.
"With the matches being played in Tajikistan, logistical operations become very difficult," said national coach Peter Cklamovski on Wednesday.
"It's a difficult scenario for our players to get there and be ready to go. I'll never want to compromise the players. I want us at full strength."
Malaysia had planned to use the tournament as part of their long-term development strategy, and Cklamovski admitted he had lofty ambitions.
"I wanted to go into this tournament to win it," he said.
"But once the fixtures were released a few days ago, it became clear that it would be tough. We have to respect the clubs."
Besides player availability, the tight schedule and travel logistics posed major challenges, especially with FIFA's newly enforced 72-hour recovery rule between games.
Long-haul flights, rising costs and preparation issues only compounded the problem.
"We've got players in Spain, Colombia, Argentina. It's difficult to get them there," said Cklamovski.
"Then there's the impact on the budget — all that effort to arrive under-strength. It just doesn't make sense."
He insists the decision to withdraw was the right one.
"It's a smart call. What's more important now is to use the September window wisely and focus on October and November, especially with big matches coming up against Laos and Nepal (in the Asian Cup qualifiers)."
While the withdrawal may come as a disappointment for fans eager to see Harimau Malaya tested, the FA of Malaysia (FAM) and Cklamovski believe it is a necessary step in the push for long-term progress.