KUALA LUMPUR: If national players are not keen to play for Malaysia in football matches outside the Fifa window, call it "self protection."
That is because if they are injured while representing the national team during this period, they won't be covered by Fifa's Club Protection Programme (CPP).
Under the CPP, the world football governing body will compensate the clubs if their players can't play for their clubs after getting injured while on international duty for the national team during the Fifa international window.
But the Malaysian football fraternity seems to be silent on this matter.
The question here is if players get injured while playing for the national team during "non Fifa window" (which means there will be no CCP compensation), who will pay for their medical treatment?
With the AFF Cup from Dec 20-Jan 16 outside of the Fifa window, some players had declined national call-ups as they do not want to risk injuries and not getting covered.
Former player Datuk Richard Scully said: "I think we have to be firm in what we're doing because these players are your 'soldiers' and if they turn their backs against the war, how are we going to win?
"The think-tank in the technical department (of the FA of Malaysia) should get the players motivated.
"FAM should look into this, not just sponsors, tickets and such because these are humans we're dealing with."