Even before Malaysia set foot on Jakarta for the Asia Cup, coach Arul Selvaraj had already drawn up a plan leading towards the Bhubaneswar and Rourkela World Cup in January.
He had planned June and July to be the "re-conditioning" months under fitness trainer Tom Drowley with little hockey played.
From August till October, the team will go on playing Tours, ending with the Azlan Shah Cup on Nov 15-25 in Ipoh before the World Cup.
The tours are planned with Australia and Spain as well as a few other countries, but their itineraries have yet to be finalised.
"We have drawn up a comprehensive plan leading to the World Cup much earlier because we were positive about our team's performance, and only the colour of the medal was yet to be determined in Jakarta.
"Those who claim that we have no plans, are blind to the fact and shooting in the dark," said Arul Selvaraj after consoling his heartbroken players at the end of 60 minutes of the Asia Cup final in Jakarta on Tuesday.
National team manager Datuk Mirnawan Nawawi, a triple Olympian, said even he never got a chance to play in the Asia Cup final, but this team have done it back-to-back - in Dhaka, 2017 and in Jakarta.
"My teammates and I never got such an honour during our playing days, and this team should be proud of their achievement. I believe we can win the Asian Games and qualify for the Paris Olympics, as the MHC have a well planned route leading to the World Cup and then the Asian Games," he added.
After Malaysia lost 3-0, 7-0, 5-0 and 3-0 to World No 1 Australia in their recent Tour, many critics had lambasted the team.
"What people who did not watch the four Australian matches don't know is that if my players did not put up a fighting performance, Australia would have scored double digits in every match.
"That tour was important to our Asia Cup preparations, not a demoraliser as claimed by many," said Arul.
For comparison, the Kookaburras blasted world No 8 New Zealand 8-1 in the Trans-Tasman Series on May 31.