KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 — Several national players may face new challenges of playing in different positions for the remainder of the 2020 Asean Football Federation (AFF) Cup in Singapore.

This is due to head coach Tan Cheng Hoe’s strategy to rotate players to get through the tight schedule of group stage matches apart from the lack of players after losing the services of two of his men who tested positive for Covid-19.

Knowing that the approach is fraught with risks, Cheng Hoe remains optimistic that his players have the versatility to execute the task well despite being delegated to different positions.

“We know the team have some senior players and young players who are capable of carrying out the task and maintain balance in the team.

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“If you look at the relatively tight schedule, we have three (first) matches in a row two days apart, that’s why each player must be prepared for the possibility of rotation and fill in other positions,” he said at the national team’s virtual press conference today.

Two national players, goalkeeper Muhammad Khairulazhan Mohd Khalid and winger Muhammad Faisal Abdul Halim were confirmed positive for Covid-19 after the results of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) screening test conducted at Changi International Airport last Friday.

The two players, who showed no symptoms, were ordered to undergo a 10-day quarantine and miss the first three Group B games against Cambodia yesterday (Malaysia won 3-1), Laos on Thursday and defending champions Vietnam (Sunday).

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Malaysia will close out the Group B stage against Indonesia on December 19 and Cheng Hoe hopes that no more of his players will suffer the same fate or suffer serious injuries that could be a further blow to team strength.

“We hope and pray that no other players are affected (by Covid-19).  One of the conditions of our AFF (protocol) is to keep Faisal Halim and we hope he can recover as soon as possible,” he said.

At the same time, the 53-year-old coach said the coaching staff was still in talks to replace Muhammad Khairulazhan with another goalkeeper.

“Most likely he will not be with the squad (for the rest of the campaign). We also have not decided which player will be called, it is still in the discussion stage and we will announce this soon,” said Cheng Hoe.

Yesterday, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) confirmed that it has sent an official application to the AFF to change players for the position of goalkeeper of the national squad for the duration of the championship. — Bernama