KUALA LUMPUR: Harimau Malaya could face a rude awakening in the Asian Cup next month unless they adapt to the semi-automated offside technology (SAOT), which will complement the video assistant referee (VAR) system during the tournament.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) recently confirmed that SAOT will be used in all 51 matches at the Qatar Asian Cup from Jan 12-Feb 10.
The AFC will be the first confederation to apply the system at its continental competition after Fifa first used it in last year's Qatar World Cup.
Former international K. Nanthakumar issued a warning, stressing that Harimau Malaysia players must adapt to the new technology to avoid challenges in Qatar.
"The players must adapt to eliminate confusion during matches.
"Even today, players are still struggling with VAR as there are inconsistencies," said Nanthakumar.
SAOT will use 12 specialised cameras to precisely track the ball and players' positions during matches.
If a player receiving the ball is offside, an alert will be transmitted to the VAR official, who will then verify the exact position using lines drawn automatically by SAOT.
The final decision will require validation from VAR before the match referee is informed.
Upon the referee's final decision, the data points provided to officials will be generated into a 3D animation.
It will be displayed on the stadium's screens and also made available to television broadcasters.
Nanthakumar, currently the assistant coach of Negri Sembilan, said offside traps are a crucial part of modern football.
"Our defenders must stay on their toes during the Asian Cup as any loss of concentration could lead to goals as they will be facing quality opponents.
"I hope the national players will be taught about the new tech when they gather for centralised training.
"Our players must play to the referee's whistle and be alert all the time in Qatar," said Nanthakumar, who played for Malaysia between 2002 and 2010.