Asri gets call-up for Olympic squad
KUCHING: Sarawak football has been given a boost with the call-up of Asri Chuchu, who is among a 24- player squad to represent Malaysia Under 23 Olympic squad under coach Ong Kim Swee to play in the Asian Zone Group C Olympic qualifying in Jordan on March 18.
Asri will fly to Kuala Lumpur today to report at Wisma FAM where he will join the likes of Kelantan goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat, Ahmad Shakir of Negri Sembilan or Rozaimi Abdul Rahman of Sabah.
The Lawas-born Asri, 21, who hails from Kpg Luagan, Sundar told a press conference which included Sarawak FA president, Datu Sudarsono Osman and coach Robert Alberts that his ambition is to play for the senior national team.
Whi le the player idol i ses Cristiano Ronaldo, he admires local legend Mokhtar Dahari as his hero and was proud to be called up for the national team.
FAS president Sudarsono hoped Asri will take the opporunity to train hard to make it to the final squad and expressed his confidence that the player is fully committed to the cause and can make Sarawak proud.
The state’s last representative at the national level was another dimunitive winger in Gilbert Cassidy Gawing in the 1990s.
Joseph Kallang Tie also represented Malaysia in a match against visiting BPL club giant Chelsea a year ago while the only biggest name from Sarawak was the late James Yaakub in the 1970s and early 1980s.
“We, in the FA, will be giving him encouragement and full support as we want to see a Sarawakian succeed in the national team as our last was Joseph Kallang who played briefly with the national team against visiting English club Chelsea, recently.
“First of all, he will have to impress the selectors as only 18 players will travel to Jordan with the Olympic squad and I believe Asri, with his commitment, can make the cut into the national team,” said Sudarsono.The FAS president disclosed that Asri, who had one goal to his credit, in the Super League matches so far, got the call-up due to his exposure in the many live telecast matches where he caught the eyes of the national selectors.
Alberts, who also spoke, said Asri’s call-up will especially inspire the development of the young players in Sarawak.
“It is important that Asri, whose quality is speed, must learn to pick up the tactical awareness which he will be exposed to at the national level training,” he said.
Alberts said Asri needs to work on this aspect very diligently as Asri, who had his first taste of competitive football in his school in Lawas, will find that his swift jump to the national and international level will be huge.
ST Wednesday, 07 March 2012 Written by Martin Yee
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