Harimau Malaya need to play more international friendlies to better their current position of 159th.
Football Association of Malaysia’s (FAM) new Secretary-general, Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin, wants the national team to improve their FIFA World Ranking.
K. Rajagopal’s are currently 159th in the standings and need to get more international friendlies under their belts instead of playing club sides if they’re to start climbing the ladder.
Recent defeats to Premier League giants Chelsea and J.League side Shimizu S-Pulse have prompted FAM to change the focus of their opposition with Hamidin stating they have already embarked on scheduling more exhibition matches against other countries.
“We have already identified nine dates in the official FIFA calendar to play these friendlies,” he told Goal.com on Thursday.
“I have informed our international department to work on getting more international matches for the national team.”
A match with China in Beijing on September 10 has already been set-up by FAM, although Malaysia will still fulfil their fixtures with Shonan Bellmare and Tokyo Verdy before returning from their tour in Japan.
And they will also take on La Liga champions Barcelona on August 10 at the Shah Alam Stadium in Kuala Lumpar despite it taking place on the third day of the Hari Raya celebrations.
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