THE Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) will ensure that the national football team receives the best support possible to advance to the 2023 Asian Cup finals.

The Harimau Malaya squad led by Tan Cheng Hoe currently sit in second place in Group G of the 2022 World Cup/ 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers with nine points after playing five of the eight group matches.

Only UAE, who sit in fourth place with six points have a match in hand, while Vietnam lead with 11 points, Thailand are in third with eight points, and Indonesia sit in last place with no points collected so far.

FAM deputy president and national team manager Mohd Yusoff Mahadi said the squad would be given the best possible training, with all the requirements of the coaching line-up to be given top priority.

“We (FAM) will meet with him (Cheng Hoe) later this year for him to present the plan for the team. We have also asked him to come up with suggestions on how to improve and strengthen the national squad.

“FAM will provide more than 100% support. As long as Tan Cheng Hoe does not request for the moon or stars, God willing, we will grant it,” he said yesterday.

Yusoff said Tan had previously requested for friendly matches against west Asian teams as a warm-up session for games against UAE in Dubai, and Vietnam at the Bukit Jalil national stadium on March 26 and 31.

“His idea is to hold games in the region so that the players are well prepared in all aspects for their match against the UAE. At FAM, our focus is on how to prepare the team for the next two games in March.

“If one (friendly) match is not enough, and he (Cheng Hoe) wants two, we will give him two matches.”

At the same time, Yusoff said the national team would need to earn at least four points from the two matches, with three points required against Vietnam to brighten the chances for automatic qualification for the 2023 Asian Cup.

“Four points (in the next two games) will put us among the top four teams in second place. If we can come up with a positive result in Bangkok in June, it will be a bonus. This is our goal.”

The last time Malaysia played in the Asian Cup was when they co-hosted the event in 2007, but Malaysia have not achieved automatic qualification for the Asian Cup since the 1980 edition in Kuwait. – Bernama, December 15, 2019.