KUALA LUMPUR: Former national coach Datuk Dollah Salleh said Harimau Malaya must shed their inferiority complex against Thailand in an Asean Cup Group A match at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok tomorrow.
Seven-time champions and current title holders Thailand do look fearsome after starting their campaign by thrashing Timor Leste 10-0.
Malaysia, on the other hand, nearly lost to Timor Leste, trailing 1-2 at half time before eking out a 3-2 win
However, Dollah, 61, said Malaysia had the upper hand in recent years against Thailand, winning four of their last five encounters.
He guided Malaysia to a 3-2 win against Thailand in the second leg of the 2014 Asean Cup final, but it was not enough as the team missed out on the title, losing 4-3 on aggregate.
"It's about time for Malaysia to win the Asean Cup since Datuk K. Rajagobal won in 2010. We entered the final in 2014 under me, and in 2018 under Tan Cheng Hoe. We need to win the competition after coming close twice," said Dollah.
"There're comments that we are playing with a B team, but for me there's no such thing. When you play for Malaysia, you are the best and you need to deliver. When you are picked to play, the coach has faith in you to perform and that's all that matters.
"We should not fear Thailand, we have beaten them in recent times, so they are not unbeatable. If you look closely, you will realise that they are not a powerhouse in Asian football, they are at the same level with us actually."
Dollah's view does hold water as the War Elephants' dominance in Asean football has never really extended to continental level. Their best achievement was winning the bronze medal in the 1972 Asian Cup in Bangkok.
Thailand did not qualify for the 2011 Qatar and 2015 Australia Asia Cups. At the 2019 United Arab Emirates and 2023 Qatar Asian Cups, they failed to get past the round of 16.
"I believe that if our national team coach can put the right players in the match, we can create an upset. The players should not be scared of Thailand.
"They just need to treat Thailand like any other opponents and follow the coach's game plan. The players must not think about losing. They must have faith in themselves."