Malaysian journalist: 'Naturalization won't help surpass Vietnam'

After losing to Vietnam, journalist Ajitpal Singh sparked discussion by arguing that Malaysia should not rely on naturalization, but must implement thorough restructuring to progress.

After the 1-3 loss to the Vietnamese national team in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers, Malaysian football continues to face intense debates about its future development direction. However, instead of advocating for increased naturalization, journalist Ajitpal Singh presented a completely opposing viewpoint.

In an article published in New Straits Times, he argued that FAM should not continue relying on naturalized players if it wants to narrow the gap with Vietnam. According to Ajitpal, the defeat at Thiên Trường Stadium is not just a technical issue, but also reflects systemic limitations within Malaysian football.

He emphasized that after a series of incidents involving players lacking eligibility leading to sanctions from AFC and FIFA Malaysian football should have learned a profound lesson. Instead, they remain caught in the familiar "shortcut" of seeking quick fixes by bolstering the squad with external resources.

“Do we need more naturalized players to defeat Vietnam? Ultimately, Malaysian football must learn from its own mistakes,” Ajitpal posed the question.

According to statistics, in the match against Vietnam, Malaysia used up to 13 players born abroad, including both heritage players and naturalized ones. However, this number did not yield the expected effectiveness and even sparked debates about identity and development direction.

This journalist believes the biggest problem is not a lack of quality personnel, but a lack of a systematic and sustainable training framework. “Malaysia does not need to naturalize players; it needs to 'naturalize' its football mindset,” he stressed.

Additionally, Ajitpal also pointed out the concerning reality that many players with Malaysian lineage cannot sing the national anthem or communicate in the local language. This, according to him, indicates a lack of cohesion and identity within the national team.

In conclusion, the New Straits Times columnist urged Malaysia to patiently build a foundation from youth football, rather than pursuing short-term solutions. Only by achieving this can Harimau Malaya truly compete fairly with Vietnam and other regional opponents.