KUALA LUMPUR — As the national sepak takraw team gears up for a challenging year ahead, head coach Ahmad Jais Baharun is already eyeing the next generation of talent.
Five promising young players have been identified to strengthen the team, as Jais looks to build on Malaysia’s recent successes and prepare for major tournaments, including next year’s SEA Games.
The Sepak Takraw Association of Malaysia (PSM) announced the continuation of Jais’ contract for another year, with the team’s recent achievements, including two gold medals at the ISTAF World Cup Championship in May, being key factors in the decision.
Malaysia’s triumph over Thailand in both the regu and doubles events earned Jais and his team high praise from PSM president, Datuk Sumali Reduan.
However, despite this success, the team struggled to maintain the same momentum at the King’s Cup in Thailand in September.
Nonetheless, Sumali expressed confidence in Jais’ leadership and his ability to guide Malaysia to success at the upcoming SEA Games, as well as at the King’s Cup and the inaugural Asia Cup, which will be held in Kuala Lumpur.
Jais and his assistants—Aswadi Abdullah, Ahmad Zain, and Zulkarnain Arif—will continue in their current roles, as PSM confirmed the extension of their contracts, signaling that the team has met key performance indicators (KPIs).
The coaching staff’s cohesion and consistent development of players were highlighted as major reasons for the team’s continued success.
“We will not be making changes to the coaching staff unless dictated by the National Sports Council (NSC) and the number of players allowed in the squad,” said Sumali.
“The focus now is on maintaining the momentum from our World Cup victories, particularly in the regu and doubles events, though I’m disappointed that the doubles event was sidelined in some recent tournaments.”
With an eye on the future, Jais is tasked with developing two or three new regu combinations, stepping away from the current trio of Azlan Alias, Syahir Rosdi, and Farhan Adam.
PSM is set to meet with the NSC at the end of the month to finalise the list of national players, including those to be included in the Podium Programme.
“Breaking the barrier to becoming champions in the team event is crucial, especially after two runner-up finishes at the World Cup and King’s Cup,” Sumali added.
“We’ll also discuss with the NSC the possibility of increasing the squad to 21 players, to better strengthen our options.”
With the addition of young talent and a focus on developing stronger pairs, Malaysia’s national sepak takraw team is poised to face new challenges and achieve greater success in the year to come. – November 12, 2024
