Malaysian experts consider the Vietnam national team as their top priority.

Maintaining a clear focus on professional goals and separating on-field activities from backstage matters is the only way for the Malaysian national team to protect the achievements they have built over time.

At a time when Malaysian football is going through a sensitive phase with numerous legal issues and sanctions from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), experts believe that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) along with the national team coaching staff must stay focused on the most important objective: the decisive match against Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

This match is scheduled to take place in March away from home and holds crucial significance for the standings in Group F. Although FAM is currently awaiting the final decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding a document forgery case, many opinions emphasize that preparations for the Malaysian team must not be interrupted.

Veteran coach Sulaiman Hussin emphasized: "I believe we need to prepare as usual because we do not know what the official outcome will be. However, the responsibility to prepare the best squad to face Vietnam is very important."

This expert warned that if the team becomes complacent or distracted by backstage turmoil, Malaysia could easily put itself at a disadvantage. Especially if FAM receives a positive ruling from CAS, failing to prepare thoroughly for the match against Vietnam would be regrettable and hard to justify.

Besides technical preparation, the psychological state of the players is also a top priority. Sulaiman Hussin affirmed that players need to keep a cool head and not let external issues affect their competitive spirit. Once wearing the national team jersey, the sole duty of the players is to give their best effort, playing with full concentration and utmost responsibility.

In reality, Malaysia holds a significant advantage in Group F, having won all five matches played. In the final round, coach Peter Cklamovski’s team only needs a draw against Vietnam to secure the top spot and officially qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup finals.

Achieving this goal would mark a historic milestone for Malaysia, qualifying for the Asian Cup for two consecutive editions for the first time, thereby confirming the steady progress of Malaysian football in Southeast Asia.