KUALA LUMPUR: The FA of Malaysia won't hit the panic button over the national team's drop in world ranking, but former internationals Safee Sali and Azlan Johar are alarmed.
Safee even said there is something wrong with Harimau Malaya, and that the team are clearly without a leader.
On Thursday, Malaysia's world ranking declined six places to No. 132 in Fifa's latest list following back-to-back identical 2-0 losses to Oman in Muscat and Bukit Jalil. Last November, Malaysia went as high as world No. 130.
FAM deputy president, Datuk Yusoff Mahadi admitted that they were disappointed over the decline, but said it was unavoidable.
Yusoff said Malaysia, an Asean-level team, were up against Asian-level teams. That includes the losses to Jordan and Bahrain
in the Asian Cup in Doha in January.
"We're competing against those who are better and ranked higher. But this is a process we have to go through."
"We were at a stage where we had to face this situation. Once we reach a different level, there are new things to overcome.
Malaysia must win their remaining World Cup qualifiers against Kyrgyzstan and Taiwan in June. Yusoff said: "Who knows? A miracle could happen. We haven't given up hope."
But Safee is less sanguine. He said several factors had emasculated Harimau Malaya and these need to be sorted out.
The issues that Safee is referring to are lack of leadership on the field,
players' fitness, substitutes coming in late, silly mistakes and National Stadium's pitch condition.
"There's a lack of leadership on the pitch, which worries me. We need a leader, a fighter, someone who leads by example, but there is no such figure on the field.
"There's little cohesion in the team. Everyone's playing solo to prove something.
"If the (National Stadium's)
field isn't good, then don't use it," said Safee who runs the Sports Tarik podcast.
Azlan, who concurred with Safee, said: "Not only do we need to hit the panic button, we also have to learn to make better preparation and do it well.
"We rest while others work hard. Look at Indonesia. Before their World Cup qualifiers, they were below us (in world rankings), but suddenly after they beat Vietnam, Indonesia are now ranked higher than Malaysia," said Azlan.
He added that Harimau Malaya only have themselves to blame for the lack of match fitness that led to their losses to Oman.