Malaysia’s Head Coach Speaks Out on the Possibility of Forfeiting to Vietnam

Coach Peter Cklamovski considers the chance of Malaysia forfeiting to Vietnam as unjust, while affirming that Malaysia is still committed to securing victory to maintain their Asian Cup 2027 aspirations.

The head coach of Malaysia’s national team, Peter Cklamovski, urged fans and the local football community to continue believing in the possibility of qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup finals, despite the challenges currently surrounding Malaysian football.

As Malaysia prepares for their final Group F qualifier match against Vietnam, the Australian coach remains optimistic, even though their chances have dimmed after seven naturalized players were suspended by FIFA due to documentation issues.

Speaking to the local media, Coach Peter Cklamovski openly rejected the suspicions and criticisms aimed at the national team, while stressing that his and his players’ objectives have never changed.

“We will travel to Vietnam to complete our mission with a win and finish the qualifiers at the top of the group after 90 minutes of play. That is our biggest goal and the reality the whole team is focused on,” Cklamovski emphasized.

Additionally, the Australian strategist expressed dissatisfaction with the possibility that Malaysia might be penalized with point deductions due to the case involving the naturalized players. He described this as unfair and unacceptable.

“This is unjust. FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed that these players were eligible to represent Malaysia. Otherwise, I would not have used them from the start,”he stated.

Coach Cklamovski mentioned that the Malaysian government has officially recognized the nationality of these players, and he hopes they will soon be allowed to return to the national team: “I hope they can come back to help Harimau Malaya qualify for the Asian Cup and beyond, aiming for the dream of becoming continental champions,” the Malaysian head coach affirmed.

Therefore, the match between Vietnam and Malaysia not only determines the qualification spot but also serves as a test of Malaysia’s resilience, belief, and ambition during this turbulent period.