Media barred from national team's training

The National team that normally cherished all the media attention after wins, has chosen to 'hide' itself behind closed doors after the 0-3 defeat to Singapore on Sunday.

Members of the press who went to the national team's training venue at Institut Penilaian Negara (Inspen) yesterday afternoon were barred from entering the venue since the training was allegedly declared out of bounds.

Attempts to catch a glimpse of the national squad in training ended in disappointment for pressmen as security guards at the venue denied them entry, allegedly after a directive from the Football Association of Malaysia's (FAM) 'top' management.

The decision by the national team to train behind closed doors came as a major surprise to members of the media who had no such problems in the past when carrying out their duties, especially when watching national head coach Datuk K. Rajagobal's boys in training.

Meanwhile, national team manager Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal when contacted confirmed that the directive came from him.

Subahan claimed that the decision to bar media from covering the national team's training was to avoid any interruption on the team management's part to revive the spirit and morale of the players.

"I want the coach and players to give 150 percent focus on preparations to face Laos on Wednesday because we need to collect three vital points.

"In fact we need six points to advance to the semifinals and I am confident we can do it," he said.

Subahan, however, pledged to allow the media to watch the team in training at Wisma FAM, today.

He added that the decision (to bar media) was not to 'hide' the weaknesses of the national team but to give the players room to regain their focus. Malaysia will play Indonesia on Dec 1.