KUALA LUMPUR: Is Malaysian football heading in the right direction?
While Harimau Malaya (the national men's senior team) fell short of their target of advancing to the third round of World Cup qualifiers, the results of Malaysia's youth teams have raised further concerns.
On Sunday, the national youth team failed to qualify for next year's Under-17 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, following a disappointing 2-2 draw with minnows Laos in Vientiane. Javier Jorda Ribera's squad finished runners-up in Group H, securing a point over Laos on goal difference, while the United Arab Emirates topped the group with six points to book their place in the tournament proper.
In the aftermath of the missed qualification, team manager Christopher Raj, who is also the FA Malaysia (FAM) media and communications committee chairman, followed through on his pledge to step down.
"This failure is a bitter pill to swallow and deeply saddening, especially as we were unable to replicate last year's success when the national squad qualified for the 2023 Asian Cup," said Christopher in a statement.
The national Under-23, Under-20, Under-19, and Under-16 squads have similarly fallen short in their respective campaigns this year, raising questions about the effectiveness of the national football development system.
In April, the Under-23 team finished last in their group at the Asian Cup in Doha, losing to Uzbekistan (2-0), Vietnam (2-0), and Kuwait (2-1).
In June, the national Under-20 team missed out on the 2025 Asian Cup after placing fourth in their qualifying group.
The Under-16 squad also struggled in the Asean Championship, failing to progress past the group stage.
The Under-19 team concluded their Asean Championship campaign in July with a fourth-place finish.
These ongoing setbacks have led to mounting criticism of the strategies employed by the National Football Development Programme (NFDP) and FAM's technical staff.
Many argue that more robust measures are needed to identify and cultivate young talent capable of bolstering Malaysia's future football ambitions.
Christopher expressed gratitude for his role as Under-17 team manager, thanking FAM president Tan Sri Hamidin Amin, the coaching staff, and the players and their families for their support and commitment.
"The sacrifices made by the players and their parents will not be forgotten," he added.