KUALA LUMPUR: National coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee undertook radical changes following the international retirements of four key players, in announcing on Thursday the national team for next month's friendly against Indonesia.
Ong retained only 11 players from the squad which toured Oceania in June as the coach respected the wishes of Johor Darul Ta'zim quartet Safiq Rahim, Aidil Zafuan Radzak, S. Kunanlan and Amirulhadi Zainal to no longer be considered for international assignments.
Six uncapped players were included in the 24-man squad for the trip to Surabaya for the Sept 6 friendly against Indonesia while three others - Pahang goalkeeper Khairul Azhan Khalid, Johor Premier League midfielder Irfan Fazail and Sarawak defender Ronny Harun - return to the national squad for the first time this year.
The uncapped players summoned are Selangor midfielders Adam Nor Azlin and S. Veenod, Perak goalkeeper Hafizul Hakim Khairul Nizam, Police's Fakhrul Aiman Sidid, Kuala Terengganu T-Team midfielder Safawi Rashid and Johor defender Amer Saidin.
Ong's squad has a decidedly inexperienced look about it, with only five players having played 30 or more international matches.
With neither Safiq or Aidil in the squad, Ong is expected to hand the captain's armband to either Amri Yahyah, whom with 52 caps is the second most experienced player in the squad after Fadhli Shas (55), or Kelantan's Brendan Gan.
"Due to injuries and international retirements, I was forced into making many changes," said Ong in a Football Association of Malaysia statement.
"There are a number of young players who have experience playing youth international football whom I have included in the senior squad for them to prove something."
SQUAD - Goalkeepers: Khairul Fahmi Che Mat (Kelantan), Hafizul Hakim Khairul Nizam (Perak), Khairul Azhan Khalid (Selangor);
Defenders: Azrif Nasrulhaq Badrul Hisham, Fadhli Shas (Darul Ta'zim), Amer Saidin (Johor), Khair Jones (Malacca), Nazirul Naim Che Hashim, Shahrul Saad (Perak), Matthew Davies (Pahang), Ronny Harun (Sarawak);
Midfielders: Ahmad Fakri Saarani (Felda), Irfan Fazail (Johor), Baddrol Bakhtiar (Kedah), Brendan Gan, Wan Zack Haikal Wan Nor (Kelantan), Abd Latiff Suhaimi, Fakhrul Aiman Sidid (Police), Adam Nor Azlin, S. Veenod (Selangor), Safawi Rashid (T-Team);
Forwards: Amri Yahyah (Darul Ta'zim), Zaquan Adha Radzak (Johor), Ahmad Hazwan Bakri (Selangor).