KUALA LUMPUR: He may have fond memories of that one particular triumph at the Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno Stadium some nine years ago, but national football head coach Tan Cheng Hoe is not one to dwell on past glories as he takes on a far more greater mission at the same venue this time around.
Malaysia’s opening Group G match in the 2022 World Cup/2023 Asian Cup qualifying campaign against home side Indonesia takes on a different meaning compared to the time he was the assistant coach of the squad that swept the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Cup in 2010.
The 51-year-old said the stakes were much higher now, with each team in the qualifying round gunning for an automatic slot to third round of the World Cup qualifying campaign, or at least to qualify for the 2023 Asian Cup tournament proper.
“Yes, it was a great triumph back in 2010 in Jakarta, but the situation is very different now as these are the qualifiers for the World Cup and Asian Cup. We know the Indonesians have been preparing very hard as well besides fielding several naturalised players to help their team this around. – Bernama
