Ubaidullah Shamsul Fazili may not have anticipated the reaction when he answered questions from Berita Harian's Malik Muhamad as he and his teammates prepared for the 2027 Asian Cup qualifier against Nepal on Nov 18.
But the Terengganu FC defender's comments about giving his best for team Harimau Malaya at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, as published yesterday, riled certain reporters. This follows a supposed ‘no media interviews’ ban imposed on the national players.
The FA of Malaysia (FAM) is still under fire from fans and lawmakers after Fifa sanctioned the national body and seven players for "doctored documentation" ahead of a previous 2027 Asian Cup qualifying match against Vietnam on June 10. Malaysia, including the seven players, had won that match 4-0.
Adding to the scrutiny, the Under-16 team recently suffered an 11-0 loss to Croatia in a friendly – the heaviest defeat since UAE trounced the senior team 10-0 in 2015. Ironically, Datuk Dollah Salleh, the national coach then, is now manager of the Under-16 squad.
Coach Peter Cklamovski has repeatedly referred to "noise" when addressing ongoing debates over the eligibility of the seven players and the integrity of the national body since Fifa's sanctions in September.
Perhaps the Australian and his "world-class" colleagues are trying to shield the players from distractions. Or perhaps they want to prevent embarrassment as they prepare to face Nepal, ranked 180 in Fifa’s latest standings – 62 spots below Malaysia. Any upset would ignite further fan fury.
There may also be concern that media questions could expose inconsistencies in the sanctioned players’ claimed Malaysian heritage.
No official reason has been given for barring the media. It is understood the decision "did not come from the head coach alone but was a collective decision by top management."
Following complaints from reporters, Dion Cools and another yet to be confirmed player will face the media at a press conference this afternoon.
Telling athletes to stay silent before matches is not new. Some have also been instructed to avoid social media – a measure to maintain focus and avoid "noise". Not all players, like coaches or managers, know how to handle the media, and some adopt an "I don’t give a damn" attitude.
This can be managed professionally. Players capable of answering questions should rotate in media duties, with the no-media rule applied only 48 hours before kickoff, if needed. Restricting what athletes can say undermines media access and the athletes’ freedom of expression.
Common sense prevailed with the two players set to attend today’s press conference.
However, this "world-class" management must develop a proper media strategy – beyond polished social media posts.
This is because the national team must address the 'noise' and rebuild trust with fans – urgently.
Main image: @malaysia_nt/X