PATTAYA: National futsal coach Chiew Chun Yong hopes the delay in preparing for the AFC Championship in February next year does not harm Malaysia's chances of doing well at the tournament.
The national futsal team will only begin preparation in early January while there is a proposal to send the squad to Croatia to play in an invitational tournament the same month.
Malaysia had a relatively good 2017 after the team won silver at the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games and finished runners-up at the AFF Championship with both tournaments won by Thailand.
The national team qualified for the AFC Championship, to be held in Taipei on Feb 1-11, thanks to their performance at the AFF event but have not advanced past the group stage at any of Malaysia's previous 11 appearances at the Asian tournament.
Chun Yong does not want to see the momentum generated by the encouraging performances, which has seen Malaysia's Fifa ranking rise from 74th to 53rd in 12 months, stalled by the delay in getting started for next year.
"Most of the teams at the AFC Championship have begun their preparations with Thailand and Vietnam both touring Europe," said Chun Yong today in Pattaya where he is guiding the Malaysian team at the Milo Hidup Bola Under-16 Futsal Championship.
"There is a plan for us to go to Croatia but I am waiting for approval (from the FAM executive committee). Hopefully, we get the green light and we can start our preparations."
Chun Yong has done what can only be considered a miracle in lifting Malaysia's futsal fortunes given the limited pool of players to select from in the absence of a national futsal league.
But with the proposed return of the league next year, tentatively to kick off in February, Chun Yong hopes it will give the game a boost.
"It will enlarge the talent pool and allow the players to be active for a longer duration," said Chun Yong. "We really need a functioning league to develop the sport."