Malaysia plays down U-21 squad at the 2018 Asian Games
Malaysia U-23 national team steps have stalled in the quarter-finals of U-23 Asia Cup 2018. That's after, they were conquered South Korea with a thin score 2-1 at Kunshan Stadium, China on Saturday (20/1) then.
Despite failing to qualify for the semi-finals, Malaysia Under-23 national team coach, Ong Kim Swee, saw the great potential of his squad. He also felt able to bring Malaysia U-23 national team qualify for the 2020 Olympics.
Therefore, he needs a longer preparation. Preparations were planned to begin in the Asian Games 2018 held in Jakarta and Palembang.
For the long-term program, he plans to drop the younger squad at the Asian Games later, aka not the U-23 squad that was revealed at the 2018 U-23 Asian Cup. He is designing, going down the U-21 players at the Asian Games later.
"We have some reserves like bringing 21-year-old players now to the Asian Games but we have to know we can not target anything," said Ong Kim Swee.
"If there is no target I would be willing to take a player under 21 in which all clubs have to give this player a release.We do not ask 23-year-old but 21-year-old players down as our preparation for 2019 (Olympic) qualifiers," he added. .
On the other hand, the coach who brought Malaysia U-23 champion SEA Games 2011 is said there is still a need to be addressed his team. He did not want to be satisfied with the results of his team is capable of driving until the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup U-23.
"We can not stop here.It is my goal to be worthy of the Olympics but on condition I have a pretty good preparation, what I need to do is to be the best four troops (Asian Cup Championship U-23 2020)," said Kim Swee.
AFC itself makes the U20 Asia Cup 2020 as a qualifying event for the 2020 Olympics. For the U-23 Asian Cup qualifying period