KUALA LUMPUR: Ong Kim Swee's worst nightmare is fast taking shape with the Jakarta Asian Games just around the corner.
He still can't seem to get his hands on all the Under-23 players, even though the final 24 were announced on Wednesday, and the last phase of centralised training starts on July 30.
This is because the Asian Games dates clash with Malaysia Cup matches, which will start early August.
Pahang skipper Matthew Davies is one of those who is in the dark as he has yet to get the green light from his state to attend Under-23 training.
"I do not know, sorry I can't comment further on this issue. Until today, I have yet to discuss it with the management, and so I will refrain from making a statement," said Matthew.
The same stand was taken by Nor Azam Azih, who helped Malaysia create history by qualifying for the quarter-finals of the AFC Under-23 Championsghip in China in January.
"I am happy to have been selected for the Asian Games but the problem here is the Games training clashes with the Malaysia Cup. I'm afraid the management might not release me.
"For me, both the tournaments are important, so I will let the management make a stand about it.
"It would not be fair if I check in late for Asian Games training while the rest start on the 30th. It would also be difficult for me to assimilate with the others if I don't check-in early," said Nor Azam.
It is believed that many others are also in the same boat as Nor Azam and Matthew.
This is deja vu for Kim Swee as during the AFC Under-23 Championship last year, Azam, Matthew, Safawi Rasid and Haziq Nadzli (Johor Darul Ta'zim), Syamer Kutty Abba and S. Kumaahran (Penang) were not released by their employers.
And if the players are not released, the FA of Malaysia can't do anything about it because the Games are not part of FIFA's calendar.
Kim Swee has also called up three senior players in Baddrol Bakhtiar and Rizal Ghazali from Kedah as well as Aidil Zafuan Radzak from JDT as allowed by the Games quota, but their status is also a question mark.
If the players are not released early for training, it would be a sad day for football in the country as South Korea are removing all the stops to field their best players for the Asian Games, even calling up World Cup stars like Son Heung-min, who is attached to EPL club Tottenham Hotspur.
Heung-min made a big impact at the recent World Cup in Russia where he scored a goal against Germany and caused the shock elimination of the world champions.