No room for Hadi and Paidiya

09/01/1999

SEVEN first timers will don the national colours in the three-match
playing tour of the United Arab Emirates next week.
Yesterday, national coach Abdul Rahman Ibrahim dropped goalkeeper Abdul
Hadi Tahir and striker Paidiya Rao from the 22 in centralised training.
Sarawak utility player Nazri Yunus, however, pulled out for personal
reasons.
The seven newcomers in the squad are Zuraimi Hassan, Mohamed Noor Derus,
Moey Kok Hong, Shamsul Amri, Ahmad Shahrul, Ahmad Shahruddin Rosdi and G.
Shanmugam.
"We selected 20 players for the UAE friendlies but Nazri approached me
last night (Thursday) and said his kneecap is still bothering him. He
would like to be excused until after the Dunhill Cup in Vietnam on Jan
29," said Rahman.
"I told him to take a rest but assured him he may be recalled when we
make another selection."
Team manager Datuk Raja Ahmad Zainuddin Omar said in Ipoh those picked
were expected to give their best in the three friendlies.
The squad, who will arrive in Dubai in the UAE today, will play their
first match on Monday, the second on Tuesday and the third on Friday
before leaving for home on Saturday.
Raja Ahmad said the third phase of centralised training will start after
Hari Raya, on Jan 21, with new trainees to be included.
"The Dunhill Cup in Vietnam will give us the opportunity to gauge the
players" abilities," he said.
Rahman said although Hadi is a more experienced goalkeeper compared to
Zuraimi, he failed to shine during centralised training.
"So I had to drop him," he said.
"I am looking for players who can show 100 per cent commitment during
training to form the national team and will not hesitate to drop
experienced players who take it easy."
Hadi played for Selangor and is an experienced hand while Zuraimi, who
played for Pahang, warmed the bench as a reserve for much of last season.
The UAE tour will be tough for him.
"This is still a training squad and new faces will be selected before
the Dunhill Cup (where Malaysia are grouped together with South Korea,
Russia and Singapore)."
The players, including nine officials, left for Dubai yesterday.
Rahman said he is not interested in wins but rather team spirit.
"This is an opportunity to assess their capabilities and skills. I'll
not appoint a team captain yet but rotate the job and wait for the best
man to claim it."
The squad: Azmin Azram, Zuraimi Hassan (goalkeepers), P. Saravanan,
Khairul Anuar, Anuar Jusoh, Mohamed Noor Derus, A. Ganeson, Moey Kok Hong,
Shamsul Amri, Faizal Zainal, Abdul Ghani Malek, B. Rajnikandh, Ahmad
Shahrul, K. Sanbagamaran, Chee Wan Hoe, Yusri Che Lah, Ahmad Shahruddin
Rosdi, Zami Mohamed Nor, G. Shanmugam.
(END)