KUALA LUMPUR – Foreign players, donning the iconic black and yellow jersey, do not pose a threat to the local footballers despite not going through the hierarchical ranks of local players, said national footballer Kogileswaran Raj.
Speaking to Scoop, the 25-year-old attacking midfielder, currently with Penang FC, said that local players like himself are faced with unique challenges as they go through tougher hardships to succeed in the local football scene.
“In my case, I started moving away from my family when I was 13 years old, and it was never easy. I worked hard, and then I was noticed by coach S. Balachandran, who brought me into the under-16 team.
“Whenever I step onto the pitch, I still have to prove myself by always giving my 100% so that I can get noticed by the FAM analysers who come to watch the games,” he said.
Despite being a seasoned professional, Kogileswaran emphasised the ongoing struggle to remain on the national team’s radar.
He added that it requires relentless effort to prove himself with every appearance on the pitch, especially under the scrutiny of FAM analysts.
“We, as local players, have to sacrifice the most, as we have to compete in all age levels before getting noticed or even being selected in the senior national team.
“However, I can say for myself and on behalf of the local players that we don’t look at foreign players as a threat.
“FAM has always been doing the best for the national team, and we have been seeing the results over the years.
“If we are good enough, FAM will, of course, bring us into the team, and we will also make sure that we fight for our places,” Kogileswaran added.
FAM currently has a total of five national team age levels for the men’s national football team (U-13, U-16, U-19, U-23, and the senior team), and Kogileswaran has had a taste of all the levels since 2012.
The player, who played an integral role in Harimau Malaya’s 2020 AFF Championship campaign, also had a brief stint (six months) in South Korea playing for Chungbuk Cheongju, hence becoming the first Malaysian to play in the Korean League.
When asked about his former teammate Wan Kuzain Wan Ahmad Kamal, currently playing in the United States, Kogileswaran extended his best wishes for Kuzain’s potential inclusion in the senior team.
“We can’t criticise FAM for approaching him – maybe the governing body would have monitored his gameplay, and they would have been impressed.
“Hence, if the rumour happens to be true, I wish the best for him, and I hope he can elevate the national team more with his experience.
“Kuzain and I have trained together a couple of times before the 2019 SEA Games in Manila under the guidance of then under-23 head coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee.
“I don’t know much about his gameplay, but he was a nice guy to work with,” Kogileswaran shares, offering insights into his relationship with Kuzain.
Kuzain, currently playing for a Missouri-based club St Louis City 2, has trained with and represented the United States at the under-17 level from 2013 to 2015.
The American, born in Illinois, is eligible to represent his country or Malaysia due to his Malay/Malaysian parentage, with both of his parents being Malay.
Sharing a glimpse into his personal aspirations, Kogileswaran also expressed a desire to regain a spot in coach Kim Pan-gon’s team after facing challenges in the previous year.
“I have also missed playing for the national team, and I’m working harder to get noticed by coach Pan-gon. I had some issues last year, and I couldn’t perform as expected.
“I have been putting a lot of effort into training with my teammates, and I hope to get into Pan-gon’s team this year.
“The struggle to be a part of the national team radar is still ongoing for me, despite already being a professional player,” he added.
Kogileswaran has a total of eight caps for the country between 2018 and 2022, scoring a total of two goals.
After their group stage exit in the AFC Asian Cup campaign in Qatar, Pan-gon’s Harimau Malaya are slated to face Oman home-and-away in March before confronting Kyrgyzstan and Taiwan in June, with both home-and-away fixtures shaping their journey in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. – January 29, 2024
