Machado: the Quarter finals are possible

15th March, 2004

Malaysian National Futsal team coach Silvio Machado is confident about a place in the quarterfinals when the Malaysian team takes part in the Asian Futsal Championship (Qualifiers for Chinese Taipei 2004 also) in the middle of next month.

The Asian Qualifiers will be held in Macau this year from April, 16th.

"I believe that the team is a lot better than they were last year -with the inclusions of nine new players" said Machado.

"We have just ended the second phase of training yesterday and the players have been working very hard. They are a lot better physically and that is why I think that we can reach the quarterfinals in Macau."

For the championship in Macau, the Malaysian team has been placed in Group D alongside Thailand, China and Guam. After the failure to arrange for a stint in Brazil due to the fact that the Futsal league there had already started the Malaysian team will be travelling towards Uzbekistan (March 26th to April 3rd) for a series of friendlies.

"I'm not saying that in Macau things will be easy but the players must not be afraid of anyone" added Machado.

"Each time they play they must ask themselves, it is worth it to lose so easily considering the work they have put in?"

Click here to know more about the 6th AFC Championship! (Macau 2004)

Malaysian National Futsal Players

Addie Azwan Zainal
Ahmad Rizal Abdul Rahim
J. Arasan
Chiew Chun Yong
Hairul Anuar Othman
Jamhuri Zainuddin
Jerry Dinesh Pireira
Mohamad Feroz Abdul Karim
Mohamed Shariz Sarwar
Mohamad Faizul Ghafar
Mohd Fadhil Yusoff
Mohd Faris Ahmad
Mohd Ruzaley
Abdul Aziz
Mohd Saiful Mohd Noor
Mohd Suffian Mohd Yatim
Mohd Zaki Maarof
V. Morgan
Nik Mohd Azrizan Idris
Zaidi Ramli
Zainodin Kasmidin