Malaysia will be taking on Tottenham Hotspur at the end of this month, in what should be a cracker of a match, if recent reports are to be taken into consideration. Dollah Salleh has confirmed that he will be including five foreign players from the Malaysia Super League, to represent a side that will be known as Malaysia XI when they take on Spurs on the 27th of May.
This comes as a relief to the legion of local football fans that have been protesting against the idea of having the national squad take on the English Premier League side. While their proposal of having a team called MSL XI wasn’t entirely implemented, the new model is likely to increase the entertainment value of the match as well.
But here comes the dilemma. Dollah Salleh has hinted at several names thus far, but there hasn’t been any official confirmation on the list of five foreigners that would be lining up alongside local players for the tie. Hence, we’ve taken a deeper look at the foreigners available at our disposal to produce a shortlist of five players that should be included in Dollah’s plans.
(None of the JDT or Pahang foreigners were considered for this list, due to AFC Cup commitments)
1. PAULO RANGEL – Terengganu FA / Brazil
As far as consistency is concerned, Paulo Rangel is one name that never fails to arrive in your mind. The Brazilian forward has been a breath of fresh air since penetrating the local football scene in 2013, and he has been impressive in all three sides he has played for in the country; Perak, Selangor and now Terengganu. Talks of having Rangel naturalized surfaced some time back and the man himself has always been receptive to the idea. While we’re not exactly naturalizing these players in this model, his sheer ability and predatory instincts in front of the goal is more than enough to validate his inclusion in this team. Never mind the fact that he was Super League’s top scorer last year, it’s about time we showcase the existence of talented players within our local football scene.
2. THIAGO JUNIOR AQUINO – Perak FA / Brazil
If you’ve been following Perak closely this season, you’d be well aware of their impressive exploits by now. And while popular perception tends to credit their form to the likes of Namkung Woong, Perak have got a lot to thank Thiago Junior for. The Seladangs currently have the third best defence in the league, having only conceded 11 goals thus far, and Thiago has been an integral part of that achievement. He’s strong, physically superior compared to most of our local players, and is more than just a threat in set-piece situations. And against a side that has Harry Kane pulling the strings upfront, Thiago’s presence could help nullify the threat.
3. ALI ASHFAQ – PDRM FA / Maldives
It was rather surprising that Ashfaq opted to sign for a Premier League team last year, but his influence was never trivialized in any way. The entirety of Malaysia recognized his ability and paid homage to it as well, and as soon as PDRM were promoted into the Super League, it wasn’t hard to categorize them as title contenders, despite being newcomers in the league. And thus far, he’s netted six goals in the league, though his influence spans beyond getting the ball into the back of the net. He plays anywhere across the front three, is extremely versatile, and has worked with Dollah Salleh previously.
4. MOHAMADOU SUMAREH – PDRM FA / Gambia
Spurs’ midfield is made up of players that are highly physical in nature. The likes of Nacer Chadli, Moussa Dembele and even Paulinho are well-built, but in Mohamadou Sumareh, we have a player that’s probably capable of dealing with them. The young Gambian midfielder has been a revelation for PDRM this season, with his tireless runs throughout the middle of the park. He’s the modern-day box-to-box midfielder that teams need in order to control possession against stronger opponents. As far as creativity is concerned, we have them in abundance. But we need physical strength in midfield, and Sumareh will fit in that role aptly.
5. ROBERT CORNTHWAITE – Selangor FA / Australia
Most of Malaysia’s first team defenders will be featuring for Johor DT in the AFC Cup, so another defensive candidate is required to keep it tight at the back. Robert Cornthwaite, is a fitting candidate for the role. He has experience under his belt, having previously played for Adelaide United as well as Jeonnam Dragons, but Rob’s composure is perhaps his biggest strength. He’s already a crowd favourite at Selangor, within three months into the season. If that doesn’t speak volumes about his ability to marshal the back-line, nothing else will.
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