Laos coach speaks frankly about FIFA's sanction on Malaysia

Laos national team coach Ha Hyeok-jun mentioned that the naturalization matter, as seen with Malaysia now, acts as a double-edged sword.

At noon on October 13, coach Ha Hyeok-jun attended the pre-match press conference ahead of the Malaysia vs Laos match in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. In the first leg a few days ago, the Korean strategist and his Laos team failed to cause an upset, losing 0-3 at home.

Malaysia's absence of 7 naturalized players due to FIFA's sanction seemed like an opportunity for Laos to surprise. However, coach Ha Hyeok-jun's team still has a certain gap in quality compared to Malaysia. When asked about FIFA's penalty on Malaysia, Ha Hyeok-jun described the situation as a "double-edged sword" that each nation must wisely manage:

"I understand that the naturalization system can bring short-term benefits, but it also carries risks. Countries like Japan and South Korea do not use this method for certain reasons."

However, he emphasized that this issue will not distract Laos from focusing on tomorrow's match. Coach Ha Hyeok-jun affirmed that all players are in good physical condition and spirits ahead of the challenging encounter:

"We will give our all on the field. Our hope is to show progress and bring something positive to the Laos national team. A team like Malaysia does not need much time because their players are accustomed to competing in challenging tournaments. But for us, if we had one or two more weeks, maybe the previous result against Malaysia could have been different.

We have learned a lot from that match. Malaysia clearly played better then, but now we are better prepared and want to perform better tomorrow. Our training has gone well and the training ground is excellent. We have used the available time to fix weaknesses and strengthen the team structure."