PETALING JAYA: Terengganu FC defender Muhamad Shahrul Nizam Ros Hasni admits he felt a little nervous when called up to the central training camp ahead of the 2023 Asian Cup Qualifiers as well as two Tier 1 International matches.
Shahrul Nizam said he felt a little intimidated being around the other defenders, which included key stars from Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) and Dion Cools, who plays for Danish club Midtjylland FC, who are all vying for a place in the squad to be announced by head coach Kim Pan Gon later.
“I feel blessed that I have been called up for a second time, the first time around there was some communication issue...so I am excited and will do my best during this central training camp,” he said, adding that he would adapt and be more at ease in the squad within the next few days.
Shahrul Nizam was embroiled in a controversy last October when he did not report with the national squad ahead of two Tier 1 international friendly matches in Jordan as he had gone out to sea for fishing.
The Harimau Malay are scheduled to meet Brunei (May 27) and Hong Kong (June 1) in friendlies before participating in the Asian Cup Qualifiers here from June 8-14.
They will face Turkmenistan on June 8, followed by Bahrain (June 11) and Bangladesh (June 14) in Group E of the competition.
Meanwhile, JDT midfielder Mohamed Syamer Kutty Abba said he hoped the team would remain more disciplined on the pitch and not allow their opponents space to initiate the counter-attack.
“We also must defend much better and be more compact without the ball for the qualification this time because we will be up against some better teams. It’s not going to be easy for us, but God willing, we will do our best,“ he added.-Bernama
