Coach Cklamovski: "Malaysia determined to end 11 years of not winning against Vietnam"

Tomorrow night (June 10), the Vietnamese team will play at Bukit Jalil Stadium in Malaysia in the second round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, which is considered an important match, a turning point in the race for tickets to the continental football finals. After the first round, Malaysia ranked second in Group F, with 3 points like the Vietnamese team but ranked behind due to inferior sub-index.

Malaysia coach Peter Cklamovski has expressed his absolute confidence in his team's preparations ahead of tomorrow's crucial match. Speaking to the media, the Australian coach affirmed: "Malaysia has an important match tomorrow. We have prepared very well and are ready to go out there and produce a result that will make Malaysian fans proud.

Mr. Cklamovski was also pleased with the efforts and dedication of all the players as well as the staff. Regarding the pressure and rumors from outside, the Malaysian coach emphasized: "During these times, there are many speculations and rumors from social media. But it does not affect the important match tomorrow. I am happy that the players are ready to do what is required."

HLV Cklamovski: “Malaysia quyết chấm dứt 11 năm không thắng tuyển Việt Nam” - 1 — Malaysia coach, Mr. Peter Cklamovski (Photo: NST).

Malaysia is implementing a strong naturalization policy to strengthen the team. This has caused mixed opinions, even in Malaysia. Coach Cklamovski has spoken out about the concentration of his students, especially the naturalized players who are playing abroad, in the face of outside opinions.

Mr. Cklamovski affirmed: "The Malaysian players will not be distracted by opinions from social networks or experts. We have prepared well for the match with Vietnam. Some players have just returned from abroad with pride. Everyone will see their pride during training, creating a close, warm relationship within the team. I want that to be shown tomorrow night."

The Australian tactician stressed that the noise was a distraction for everyone else, not the players. "In terms of concentration, the players are not affected, because their focus is on becoming a strong team, which is what the team has been doing every day," he concluded.

Coach Cklamovski expressed his satisfaction with the team's preparations, affirming that everything is going according to plan. According to this strategist, the three important training sessions on May 19, May 24 and June 1 have all been carried out according to the set schedule. He emphasized: "From physical to tactical, everything is going in the right direction."

HLV Cklamovski: “Malaysia quyết chấm dứt 11 năm không thắng tuyển Việt Nam” - 2 — Malaysia is naturalizing quite a few players (Photo: NST).

Notably, coach Cklamovski especially praised the players' physical condition. Although most of the squad had more than a month of rest after the Malaysian National Championship season ended, their physical condition was still maintained at a very good level.

"The players have taken good care of themselves, which has helped them come back and continue to make new physical strides," said Cklamovski. The captain also affirmed that this achievement was thanks to the application of science and the effective work of the professional team.

Mr. Cklamovski said that the Malaysian team is always oriented to have a winning mentality in every match. Notably, this coach frankly mentioned an important detail: The Malaysian team has not been able to win against Vietnam for the past 11 years. However, instead of considering this a pressure or fear, Coach Cklamovski turned it into a motivation.

"Instead of being afraid, we will see this as a challenge for the whole team. I want them to grasp it and make history tomorrow. The opportunity is right in front of them, let's seize it," coach Cklamovski emphasized, showing the team's high determination before the upcoming confrontation.

Coach Cklamovski explained the team's decision to train behind closed doors. He said: "We understand the strength of each individual in the Vietnam team, they have some special players." Mr. Cklamovski admitted that this would be "a difficult challenge for Malaysia" and affirmed that he "respects them, looking forward to the challenge."

Explaining more specifically about the controversial closed practice, coach Cklamovski affirmed that it was not a normal practice session: "There is no way you want to let fans watch a practice session with 60 players on the field for 3 30-minute periods. It was a practice match, with a purpose". Finally, Mr. Cklamovski reassured fans about the team's preparation: "I just hope everyone understands that we have put all our efforts tomorrow night with the goal of winning against a difficult opponent".