Latest news with #UbaidullahShamsulFazili
The Star
7 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Ubaidullah highlights valuable lessons learned from hiccup at AFF C'ship
Hopeful: Ubaidullah Shamsul Fazili (right) believes the upcoming centralised training camp will serve as a platform to regroup, sharpen their tactical awareness, and strengthen their unity. — Terengganu FC PETALING JAYA: Whether it's two days or two weeks of preparation, Malaysia Under-23 football team captain and defender Ubaidullah Shamsul Fazili believes that they must learn to adapt quickly if they are to progress on the world stage. Following the Harimau Muda's early exit in the AFF Under-23 Championship, the midfielder did not hide his disappointment but insisted that valuable lessons were learned – particularly in terms of experience and on-field awareness. 'I'm disappointed. We didn't get to the next stage,' said Ubaidullah, who plays for Terengganu in the Super League. 'We have to move on and take this as a lesson. We have a bigger assignment coming.' That next challenge is the AFC Under-23 Asian Cup qualifiers in September, where Malaysia will face Thailand, Lebanon and Mongolia – a group Ubaidullah acknowledges as tough but not impossible to navigate. 'We have to qualify. It is important. The last AFC tournament, we qualified on merit. If we have good preparation and a solid plan, nothing is impossible.' The 22-year-old, who wore the armband during the AFF campaign, pointed to communication breakdowns and lack of in-game decision-making as critical areas that need improvement before the qualifiers. 'We have the chemistry, but on the field, our communication is less. This is for myself as well. In some situations, we didn't know what to do,' he admitted. 'We may look emotional because of the shouting at each other, but adrenaline is high. These moments will help us to mature. Next tournament, the boys will know what to do. We will move forward.' Ubaidullah believes professionalism starts with personal responsibility, especially with many players juggling club duties during pre-season or competitive league campaigns. 'Off or on season is not an issue. As professionals, we have to be prepared. We have to do it on our own and not expect everything from others.' He was also quick to defend the team's preparation time, stressing that the two weeks they had was enough, if used wisely. 'Every game, there was improvement. But in the national team, you need to adapt quickly and understand the demands. We had two weeks to prepare, which is ample enough. We have to be better.' Looking ahead, Ubaidullah hopes the upcoming centralised training camp will serve as a platform for the squad to regroup, sharpen their tactical awareness, and strengthen their unity. 'The biggest lesson I can take is experience. Our squad is still young and inexperienced, but this outing will mature us. 'I've learnt a lot and I know the team has too. I believe we will do better in the upcoming competition.' With Malaysia set to face stern tests in September, the leadership and clear-eyed honesty of their captain could be just what they need to turn disappointment into qualification.
The Star
02-07-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Young defender Ubaidullah ready to face AFF test head-on
SUBANG JAYA: Malaysian defender Ubaidullah Shamsul Fazili (pic) knows it will not be a walk in the park at the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Under-23 Championship in Indonesia from July 15-29. Drawn into the challenging Group A alongside tournament hosts Indonesia, the Philippines and Brunei, the 21-year-old is bracing for a tough campaign – but he's not backing down. Instead of being overwhelmed, Ubaidullah is embracing the challenge as a learning experience. 'I would like to thank my coach Nafuzi Zain for giving me the opportunity to play. It is a great honour to represent the country, and I see this as a valuable chance to grow,' said Ubaidullah. 'I think the tournament will be an opportunity to gain valuable experience for our team as we will be facing teams that will parade quality players. 'Hopefully, this will also be a platform for us to improve ourselves in the game.' Ubaidullah said the game against hosts Indonesian would be the most exciting. 'Indonesia will be making full use of their home advantage. The fans in this country are well know for their passion in the game. 'There surely will be some pressure considering Indonesia have quality players but we aim to enjoy the game and achieve good results.' Ubaidullah added that he had been learning from his senior teammates, who have done well in recent tournaments, ahead of their games in Jakarta. He had a chance to brush shoulders with the seniors as he stole the spotlight briefly when he was named man-of-the-match during an international friendly against Cape Verde at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras last month, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Ubaidullah stressed that having experience with the senior squad does not guarantee an automatic spot in this young squad. 'First of all, I was lucky to be selected for this camp. But there is no guarantee of final selection. I see two or three players vying for the same position in the team. So I'm taking it seriously to fight for a berth,' he said. ''I'm inspired by the seniors' results. I will try to follow their lifestyle and disciplined routines to improve myself.'
