Update 16th July:

The FAM president refused to resign, and instead said:

I will do a “general overhaul” of the FAM. I will personally conduct an inquiry into the team’s inept performances. Who does not want the national team to do well at international matches? This is my responsibility … we will not run away … we are fighters. I would lead a team comprising a few FAM exco members to find answers. I demand a full report of the matches against China and Uzbekistan from the manager and coach. I cannot take it. There will be changes.

I thought I’ve heard the same thing being said many times already every time the national team did badly - still no improvements.

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Other teams’ target is at least to qualify for the next round. Our target: avoid finishing last in our group. After 2 matches, goal difference is -9. Last match is against Iran, the 3-time Asian champions, 3-time World Cup qualifier (including the last WC), and the highest ranked team in our group at #47 (yes, ranked even higher than Uzbekistan or China).

Some people might think our target is too high; it should rather be: concede less than 5 goals against Iran.

Tengku Abdullah resigned too early, or too late, depending on your point of view.

On the match against Uzbekistan, The Star reported:

Coach Norizan Bakar included K. Nanthakumar, V. Thirumurugan, Mohd Ivan Yussof and striker Indra Putra Mahayiddin in the starting lineup but it barely troubled the physically bigger Uzbeks who raced to a comfortable 3-0 lead at half-time. In fact, they pierced open the defence with the opening goal through Shatskikh in the 10th minute.

The Malaysians failed to check Server Djeparov’s free-kick which landed perfectly for the Dynamo Kiev striker to nod the ball in from close range.

At the half-hour mark, Malaysia were in for more misery when the Uzbeks punished the disorganised defence with their neat one-touch passes to score the second goal.

Timur Kapadze picked up Victor Karpenko’s through ball and left three defenders in his wake before beating keeper Azizon Kadir with a low shot.

Uzbekistan further punished a fast tiring Malaysian side when unmarked Ibragimov easily slot in the fourth goal in the 85th minute.

National coach Norizan Bakar was optimistic before the start of the tournament, but 3 days before meeting Iran, during a press conference on Saturday, he said

We do not have the quality to compete in the Asian Cup Finals. Our team are not of the same standard as others in this championship… we understand that we are playing at a different level. (Our) players are still trying to do something but … you have to talk about the level. We lost to a better team. We tried to make corrections from our first match … but whatever changes we made did not work…

Before the match against 1994 Asian Games champions Uzbekistan, the coach said:

In the opening match against China we were criticised for poor tactical discipline especially in defence. We have been humiliated, hurt and criticised…. we don’t want to go through that agony again … the boys need to respond positively. The humiliating defeat was a bitter pill to swallow for me and my charges and we are all hurt by the outcome of the match and also by the heavy criticisms thrown at us by the media, including degrading remarks from FAM top officials.

In the game against the Uzbeks, centreback K. Nanthakumar, rightback V. Thirumurugan and striker Indra Putra Mahayuddin were in the starting lineup, but it did not make any difference - in fact, the scoreline was worse than the match against China.

In the match against China, the starting defence included Rosdi Talib (left back), Norhafiz Zamani Misbah (central), Kaironissam Sahabuddin (captain, central), Fauzie Nan (right back).

The boys have feelings and they don’t want to lose. We have worked on the tactical changes and the physical aspect of the team for the high tempo match against Uzbekistan. The players want to raise their game and show a positive approach to do something different against Uzbekistan. There will be changes in the team. Of course, after the humiliating defeat we have to make the necessary corrections.

Hairuddin Omar, who sounded confident before the tournament started proved ineffective in the match against China.

I am glad they are showing the willingness to learn and come out to redeem themselves.

On Friday the 13th, the coach told reporters:

We don’t want to be humiliated day by day. Nobody wants to be associated with a losing team. We just have to forget about China now and concentrate on the Uzbeks. We need to rise to the occasion. The changes were meant to help Malaysia play at “a high tempo.”

On the same day, longtime FAM deputy president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah said:

What a shameful display. I apologise to all the spectators and want to shake their hands. I am truly disappointed with their inept display. The coach has the power to choose the players and he should know better. Only the coach and players will be able to say what happened that night. I was also a spectator. I hope there will not be a repeat of what happened that night but I am still wary of conceding more goals.

Well, on-form K. Nanthakumar and Indra Putra Mahayuddin was fielded in the match against Uzbekistan, but that didn’t improve anything, in fact we lost by a bigger margin.

In the match against China, The Star reported:

There was nothing much Malaysia could do against the tactically sound Chinese players. The Malaysians had no answer to the Chinese onslaught and paid dearly for their poor tactical discipline, especially in defence. Former PSV Eindhoven’s Sun Xiang and Charlton Athletic’s Zheng Zhi were commanding in providing the crosses from the flanks, which the Malaysian defence had difficulty coping with throughout the match.

On 10th July 2007, before the match against China, the coach said:

My players are ready for the challenge even though we have been tagged the “whipping boys”. Malaysian football is not going well at the moment… Our biggest worry is without doubt the defence, going by the team’s performance in the run-in to the Finals.

In 6 warm-up matches, only one was won: Cambodia (6-0). All the others were lost: Sydney FC (0-2), Central Coast Mariners (0-3) and Bankstown (0-1); United Arab Emirates (1-3); and Jamaica (0-2).

They even had a cake-cutting session after a training session before the first match:

I guess the smiles are gone now.

One day before the match against China, on 9th July 2007, striker Hairuddin Omar said:

I am highly confident of bringing down the Great Wall of China. I am confident of breaching China’s back line just as I have done during the match against Cambodia in the friendly 2 weeks ago. We will prove that Malaysia can take on any Asian football giant.

In the same press conference, the coach said:

I am optimistic that we would disappoint the fans. First choice keeper Azizon and midfield maestro Muhammad Shukor Adan have fully recovered from injuries and will be fielded.

Well, we all know what happened next.

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