SIARAN MEDIA: FAM SUSUN SEMULA PERANCANGAN PASUKAN SELEPAS KEJUARAAN B-19 AFC 2020 DITANGGUH

2020-09-11

Persatuan Bolasepak Malaysia (FAM) secara rasminya dimaklumkan oleh Konfederasi Bolasepak Asia (AFC) bahawa Kejuaraan B-19 AFC 2020 yang sepatutnya berlangsung di Uzbekistan dari 14 hingga 31 Oktober 2020 telah ditangguhkan ke awal tahun 2021.

Keputusan tersebut dicapai pada mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Eksekutif AFC yang berlangsung secara maya, petang semalam yang turut dihadiri Presiden FAM, Datuk Haji Hamidin Haji Mohd Amin selaku salah seorang Ahli Jawatankuasa Eksekutif AFC.

Ia berikutan situasi semasa pandemik COVID-19 yang masih tidak menentu, sekali gus menyaksikan AFC tidak dapat meneruskan perancangan untuk mengadakan pusingan akhir kejohanan berkenaan mengikut tarikh yang ditetapkan itu.

Setiausaha Agung FAM, Stuart Ramalingam berkata, pihaknya akan menyusun semula perancangan skuad B-19 kebangsaan untuk disesuaikan dengan tarikh baharu kejohanan yang akan diumumkan oleh AFC nanti.

"Dengan berita penangguhan ini, kem latihan pusat Fasa 3 yang sepatutnya diadakan sepanjang September ini dibatalkan, begitu juga dengan perlawanan-perlawanan persahabatan yang telah dirancang sebelum ini.

"Ini bermakna, selepas berakhirnya kem latihan pusat Fasa 2 pada 29 Ogos 2020, para pemain telah dilepaskan terus untuk mereka kembali ke pasukan negeri/kelab masing-masing bagi mengharungi baki saingan CIMB Liga Super 2020 dan Liga Premier 2020.

"Di pihak Sekretariat FAM, kita akan menyusun semula perancangan pasukan bersama dengan pihak pengurusan dan juga barisan kejurulatihan. Kita akan maklumkan nanti kepada para peminat dan juga pihak media," kata Stuart.

Sementara itu, ketua jurulatih skuad B-19 kebangsaan, Brad Maloney menerima berita penangguhan itu dengan nada positif biarpun pasukannya sudah pun melakukan persiapan awal sejak dari kem latihan pusat Fasa 1 bermula 6 Julai 2020.

"Sesuatu yang cukup baik untuk pasukan ini apabila kami telah dapat berlatih bersama sepanjang kem latihan pusat Fasa 1 dan Fasa 2.

"Tapi apabila pengumuman penangguhan ini telah pun dibuat oleh pihak AFC demi kesihatan dan keselamatan semua pemain dan pegawai pasukan terlibat, kita perlu menghormatinya.

"Kemudian nanti apabila kita sudah mendapat tarikh baharu kejohanan pada 2021 itu, kita akan memuktamadkan semula perancangan pasukan," kata Maloney.

Pada majlis undian Kejuaraan B-19 AFC 2020 yang berlangsung di AFC House, Bukit Jalil pada 18 Jun 2020, Malaysia telah diundi dalam Kumpulan D bersama Qatar, Tajikistan dan Yemen.

 

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MEDIA RELEASE: FAM RESETS TEAM PLANNING AFTER AFC U-19 CHAMPIONSHIP 2020 POSTPONED

2020-09-11

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) was officially informed by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) that the AFC U-19 Championship 2020 which was set to kick-off in Uzbekistan from 14th to 31st October 2020 has been postponed to early 2021.

The decision was made at the AFC Executive Committee via an online meeting yesterday which was also attended by the FAM President, Datuk Haji Hamidin Haji Mohd Amin who is an AFC Executive Committee Member.

Due to the unsettling COVID-19 pandemic situation, AFC was unable to proceed with the plan to organize the final round of the tournament according to the dates that were initially set earlier.

FAM General Secretary, Stuart Ramalingam said, his units will restructure the plans of the national U-19 squad to suit to the new tournament date which will be announced by AFC soon.

"With the news of postponement, Phase 3 of the centralized training camp that was supposed to take place throughout the month of September is therefore cancelled including the friendly matches that had been planned earlier.

"After the completion of Phase 2 of the centralized training camp on August 29th, 2020, the players released to their respective state teams/clubs immediately for the CIMB Liga Super 2020 and Liga Premier 2020 competitions.

"On our level, the FAM secretariat, we will be reconstructing the team’s plans with the management and the coaching unit. Rest assured that the updates on the team will be informed to the fans and also the media,” Stuart said.

Meanwhile, the national U-19 head coach, Brad Maloney takes the news of the postponement on a positive note although his team has started early preparations since the Phase One of the centralized training camp began on 6 July 2020.

“It is a good thing for my boys as we were able to train together throughout the Phase One and Phase Two of the centralized training camp.

“However, following to the announcement made by AFC for the sake of health and safety of the players and officials, we have to respect it.

“We will finalize and have the final decision on the team’s plans once the new dates of the tournament in 2021 is confirmed,” Maloney said.

The AFC U-19 Championship 2020 draw was held at the AFC House, Bukit Jalil on 18th June 2020, Malaysia drawn into Group D alongside with Qatar, Tajikistan and Yemen.