KUALA LUMPUR: Midfielder Stuart Wilkin admitted that coach Kim Pan Gon's fiery halftime speech changed the course of their game against Kyrgyzstan in a World Cup qualifier last Thursday at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
When the Malaysians stepped into the dressing room during the break, they were trailing 3-1, and looked headed for defeat in the very first game of their Group D opener.
But it was reported that South Korean Pan Gon, with his thick mane of black hair, roared like a tiger in the dressing room as he whipped up the national players with national sentiments.
Stuart, 25, confirmed that the "hairdryer" treatment, which would have made Alex Ferguson proud, did happen.
"I felt that the talk got us going in the later stages of the second half," said Stuart.
Following the dressing room dressing-down by Pan Gon, world No. 137 Malaysia pulled off a magnificent comeback to stun world No. 97 Kyrgyzstan.
"It was our training and fitness level that pushed us to get that result, mixed with fighting spirit as well."
Stuart urged his teammates to show the same combative character against Taiwan in their second World Cup qualifier in Taipei on Tuesday.