Baddrol Bakhtiar named as captain of SEA Games squad

A year, Kedah's Baddrol Bakhtiar was in tears when a knee injury ruled him out of the two important international assignments.

The 23-year-old tore his left knee ligament last November and subsequently missed the Guangzhou Asian Games and also the AFF Cup.

But the gritty midfielder worked his way back to fitness and yesterday, national Under-23 coach Ong Kim Swee named him captain of the 20-man Sea Games squad.

Baddrol was picked over Olympic squad captain and goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat to lead the squad after he showed leadership qualities at the recent VFF Cup in Vietnam and impressed Kim Swee. 
 

"I am honoured to be leading a special group of players. It is a huge responsibility but I am ready for the task," said Baddrol, a member of the national senior team, yesterday.

Baddrol, along with midfelder K. Gurusamy, defenders Muslim Ahmad, Mahalli Jasuli, Asraruddin Putra Omar and forward Ahmad Fakri Saarani -- all surviving members of the 2009 Laos Sea Games winning squad -- are the team's core players.

Malaysia open their Group A campaign against Singapore on Monday followed by Thailand two days later, Cambodia (Nov 13) and Indonesia (Nov 17).

"The target is to retain the title. We have quality and experience in our squad but we need to be at our best in Jakarta to become champions again," said Baddrol.

Kim Swee said he picked Baddrol as captain because of his leadership qualities.

"Baddrol is a leader through the way he plays, through his attitude and through his desire to win. He has great personality and is well liked by his teammates," said Kim Swee.

The coach, however, was forced to drop injured midfielders Gary Steven Robbat and Wan Zack Haikal Wan Noor.

"Robbat initially suffered a hamstring injury and I wanted him in Jakarta as he was responding well to treatment. But I later changed my mind after scans revealed a small tear in his hamstring," said Kim Swee.

"Wan Zack needs two weeks to recover from his ankle injury. Both are core players but I have able replacements.

"As a precautionary measure, I have named Young Tigers B midfielder Muhd Nazmi Faiz for this event."

Nazmi is on assignment with the national Under-19 squad at the AFC Qualifiers in Vietnam. The youngster will join the Sea Games squad in Kuala Lumpur today.

Others left out were goalkeeper Zamir Selamat and defender Reuben Kathiripilla.

On the Sea Games, Kim Swee said the team were fully prepared.

"We need to win our opening game against Singapore to get our confidence going before we play Thailand and Indonesia," Kim Swee said.

The squad -- Goalkeepers: Khairul Fahmi Che Mat, Mohd Izham Tarmizi.

Defenders: Zubir Azmi, Asraruddin Putra Omar, Mahalli Jasuli, Mohd Muslim Ahmad, Amer Saidin, Fandi Othman, Mohd Fadhli Mohd Shas.

Midfielders: K. Gurusamy, Muhd Nazmi Faiz, Abdul Shukor Jusoh, Wan Zaharulnizam Zakaria, Irfan Fazail, Yong Kuong Yong, Baddrol Bakhtiar.

Strikers: Ahmad Fakri Saraani, Izzaq Faris Ramlan, Syahrul Azwari Ibrahim, A. Thamil Arasu.