KUALA LUMPUR: Darul Ta’zim’s Safiq Rahim, Amirulhadi Zainal, Aidil Zafuan Radzak and S. Kunalan are back on the national team for the Asian Cup Qualifying match against Lebanon at Larkin Stadium on June 13.
The four announced their retirements from international football last June under mysterious circumstances before they made a U-turn in March by stating their availability to play for the national team again.
As expected, 11 players from Darul Ta’zim made up the 26-member list for the match.
Pahang’s Nor Azam Abdul Azih is the only uncapped player in the squad.
Others making returns after a long absence are Wan Zaharulnizam Zakaria, Ahmad Syamim Yahya, Azamuddin Akil and Mahali Jasuli.
Except from those from Darul Ta’zim, the other trainees will report to newly appointed coach Eduardo Vingada on May 29 in Johor Baru.
Darul Ta’zim players will only report on June 2, three days after the club face Ceres of the Philippines in the AFC Cup zonal semi-finals return leg match.
Vingada will be assisted by former Kedah coach Tan Cheng Hoe and Joao Arnaldo Carvalho along with goalkeeper trainer Azmin Azram Abdul Aziz and Francisco Costa.
Meanwhile, Vingada may offer advice to national youth coach Ong Kim Swee over preparations for the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games in August.
Kim Swee’s squad will be on a playing tour in China from June 8 to 16. They will face China’s youth team on June 10, followed by the reserve teams of Guangzhou Evergrande (June 13) and Guangzhou R&F (June 15).
FA of Malaysia (FAM) Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim has also urged M-League teams to be cooperative in releasing their players for full-time training ahead of the Sea Games.
“There are some teams who do not want to release players earlier as the Sea Games is not on the Fifa calendar.
“We need to be supportive as we want the team to do well in the Sea Games,” said Tunku Ismail on Wednesday.
National training squad
Goalkeeper: Khairul Azhan Khalid (Sel), Izham Tarmizi Roslan (JDT), Hafizul Hakim Khairul Nizam Jothy (Per);
Defenders: Mahali Jasuli, Aidil Zafuan Radzak, Azrif Nasulhaq, Fazly Mazlan, S. Kunanlan (JDT), Khairul Helmi Johari, Rizal Ghazali (Ked), Matthew Davies (Pah), Shahrul Saad, Shahrom Kalam (Per);
Midfielders: Baddrol Bakhtiar, Akram Mahinan (Ked), Ahmad Syamim Yahya, Nor Azam Azih (Pah), Safiq Rahim, Amirulhadi Zainal (JDT);
Forwards: Syazwan Zainon (Ked), Wan Zaharulnizam Zakaria (Pah), Safee Sali (PKNS), Amri Yahyah (Sel), Ahmad Hazwan Bakri, S.Chanturu, Azamuddin Akil (JDT)