Duncan's Appointment Will Open A New Era For Harimau Malaya's Endurance, Performance - Experts

By Ahmad Nazrin Syahmi Mohamad Arif

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 (Bernama) -- The appointment of Australian sports scientist Dr Craig Duncan as the National Team's Head of High Performance and Sports Medicine is seen as a strategic step in addressing the issue of instability in the performance of the Harimau Malaya squad.

Senior Lecturer in Sports and Recreation at the Faculty of Education, the National University of Malaysia (UKM), Assoc Prof Dr Mohamad Nizam Nazarudin described the decision as timely after the national team tended to experience a "yo-yo" pattern with inconsistent performances lately.

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"Duncan's appointment coincides with the current times and the need for transformation within the team. So if he follows based on his experience in sports science and performance analysis, he (Duncan) can be said to be experienced.

"I hope he is the most suitable person to suggest how to overcome the cause of the instability of the players' performance, including me, he must focus on the training load, adequate rest, nutrition and the psychological aspects of the players,” he told Bernama when contacted today.

At the same time, Mohamad Nizam said a systematic training load management programme needs to be planned so that the players are able to achieve peak performance at the right time instead of fatigue or declining performance during competitions.

In addition, he emphasised the importance of reducing the risk of injuries that often affect the consistency of the team, as well as continuous monitoring of players' performance as well as psychological aspects and long-term development.

"So, we hope that he can plan a programme to reduce the risk of injury as well as provide more structured training based on the physiological needs and abilities of the players," said the Head of Sports Science and Performance Analyst of Sabah FC from 2021-2023.

Meanwhile, Mohamad Nizam also emphasised the importance of the openness of all parties, especially the players, towards the changes that will be brought in the national team.

Meanwhile, Professor of the Department of High Performance Sports, Defence Fitness Academy, National Defence University of Malaysia (NDUM), Prof Dr Mohar Kassim expects Duncan's presence to have a positive impact on the country's football development.

The president of the Malaysian Physical Education Association said the scientific approach that will be applied will provide great benefits to the players as well as guidance for those who choose to become coaches when they retire.

He said exposure to performance assessment techniques such as measuring cardiovascular endurance, speed, fitness and muscle strength would equip players with an in-depth understanding of the physiological needs of football.

"Players will feel that they are well evaluated through scientific methods. They will also gain knowledge, experience and skills that are essential for developing personal performance. 

"Players will know how to build an energy system to play more than 90 minutes, even up to 120 minutes, through the professional training received. So the transfer of learning will apply, they are educated and trained by experts, so this will take advantage of the country's football as a whole," he said.  

However, he reminded that the success of the country's football requires professional management, strong leadership and freedom from politics.

"If these three main factors can be overcome, I believe Harimau Malaya has the potential to return to becoming a giant, not only at the Southeast Asian level, but also in Asia like the previous glory era," he stressed.

Yesterday, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) announced Duncan as the National Team's Head of High Performance and Sports Medicine which is one of the key positions in the new organisational structure for the Harimau Malaya revolution.

Last month, FAM announced Australia's Peter Cklamovski and Mohd Nafuzi Zain as the head coach of the Harimau Malaya squad and the national Under-23 squad respectively while former Canadian national player Robert Douglas Friend was the chief executive officer (CEO) of the national team.

-- BERNAMA