Sharvin Selvakumaran, Shankar P Ghanais and Ruventhiran Vengadesen will represent Malaysia at the Allianz Junior Football Camp (AJFC) in Munich, Germany from 25 to 30 August 2016.
The three players out of 13 Malaysians had thoroughly impressed FC Bayern Munich U-13 youth coach, Maximilian Knauer and AJFC 2016 ambassador Giovane Elber during the recently concluded AJFC Asia 2016at Canggu Club in Bali, Indonesia from 19 to 22 July 2016.
The youngsters were among 50 teenagers aged between 14 and 16 from China, South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia who attended AJFC Asia this year.Only 14 players were chosen to go to Munich.
“It was very difficult to select just 14 players from 50 here as the talent standard was very high. So we first shortlisted 25 players and slowly worked our way there. We didn’t see them as someone from Malaysia or Indonesia but as football players.It was a hard decision because they were all very good,” said Elber during the press conference to announce the winners of AJFC Asia 2016 at Alila Hotel.
“We looked at every little aspect of the players from discipline to their mindset on and off the pitch and teamwork over both days. Skills were also equally important, but in the end these were the criteria we looked at when choosing our winners today. And all of them showed that including the Malaysian boys,” added Elber.
Apart from the trio, representing Malaysia at AJFC Asia were 16-year-olds Muhammad Iqbal Norazizan, Arfan Azman, Ahmad Nur Rahman Abd Rasid, Kamal Amirul Afiq Kamalazman, Muhammad Shafiq Aliff Ishak and 15-year-olds Cik Muhammad Syafiq Cik Kasiki, Muhammad Shahril Suparman, Muhammad Alif Safrie Mohd. Sallahuddin, Muhammad Iqmal Ramlan andMuhammad Fakrusy Syakirin Mohd Fairoh.
During the camp, the young footballers participated in daily training sessions which culminated in a tournament on 21 July 2016 where the AJFC Asia winners from each country were decided. Part of the festivities at AJFC Asia included get-together activities, My Finance Coach programme (financial literacy programme) and a cultural performance by each participating country.
AJFC is an annual football event held globally since 2009 with AJFC Malaysia debuting in 2012 followed by AJFC Asia in 2014. The AJFC Malaysia League 2016 was officially launched in Kuala Lumpur on 16 February 2016.
Teams of 18 players aged between 14 to 16 year olds participated in the six-week league which kicked off on 2 April 2016. In five editions, 4, 185 young aspiring footballers have tried out at AJFC Malaysia. Malaysia’s participation at AJFC in Munich, Germany has steadily grown from two entrants in 2012 to five entrants last year including a set of twins who were wildcard winners from the AJFC Asia in Bali, Indonesia.
Trio Malaysia memperolehi tiket keemasan ke AJFC di Munich
Sharvin Selvakumaran, Shankar P. Ghanais dan Ruventhiran Vengadesen akan mewakili Malaysia ke Kem Bola Sepak Junior Allianz (AJFC) di Munich, Jerman dari 25-30 Ogos 2016.
Seramai tiga orang pemain daripada 13 remaja Malaysia telah berjaya mengagumkan jurulatih belia FC Bayern Munich U-13, Maximilian Knauer dan duta AJFC 2016, Giovane Elber ketika AJFC Asia 2016 di Kelab Canggu di Bali, Indonesia dari 19-22 Julai 2016 baru-baru ini.
Anak-anak muda ini adalah antara 50 orang remaja berusia antara 14 hingga 16 tahun dari China, Korea Selatan, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand dan Malaysia yang telah ke AJFC Asia tahun ini. Hanya seramai 14 pemain telah terpilih ke Munich.
“Amat sukar untuk memilih hanya seramai 14 orang pemain daripada 50 remaja kerana kemampuan bakat mereka sangat tinggi. Kami telah menyenaraipendek seramai 25 orang pemain dan perlahan-lahan mengenalpasti kemampuan mereka. Kami tidak melihat mereka sebagai wakil dari Malaysia atau Indonesia tetapi sebagai pemain bola sepak. Ia adalah satu keputusan yang sukar kerana mereka semua sangat bagus,” kata Elber dalam sidang akhbar ketika mengumumkan pemenang AJFC Asia 2016 di Alila Hotel.
“Kami telah melihat dari segala aspek tentang pemain termasuk displin kepada pemikiran mereka dari dalam dan luar padang serta kerja berpasukan sepanjang dua hari disini. Semua pemain telah menunjukkan bakat mereka termasuk remaja dari Malaysia,” tambah Elber.
Selain daripada tiga orang pemain terpilih ini, kontingen Malaysia terdiri daripada Muhammad Iqbal Norazizan, Arfan Azman, Ahmad Nur Rahman Abd Rasid, Kamal Amirul Afiq Kamalazman, Muhammad Shafiq Aliff Ishak yang berumur 16 tahun serta Cik Muhammad Syafiq Cik Kasiki, Muhammad Shahril Suparman, Muhammad Alif Safrie Mohd. Sallahuddin, Muhammad Iqmal Ramlan danMuhammad Fakrusy Syakirin Mohd Fairoh yang berumur 15 tahun.
Sepanjang kem itu, pemain bola sepak muda akan mengambil bahagian dalam sesi latihan harian yang akan berakhir dalam acara kejohanan pada 21 Julai 2016 untuk menentukan pemenang AJFC Asia dari setiap negara. Sebahagian daripada sambutan di AJFC Asia termasuk aktiviti bersama, program My Finance Coach (program celik kewangan) dan persembahan kebudayaan oleh para peserta.
AJFC adalah acara bola sepak tahunan yang diadakan di seluruh dunia sejak 2009 dengan AJFC Malaysia yang telah memulakan debutnya pada tahun 2012 diikuti oleh AJFC Asia pada 2014. AJFC 2016 Liga Malaysia telah dilancarkan secara rasmi di Kuala Lumpur pada 16 Februari 2016. Pasukan 18 pemain berusia di antara 14 hingga 16 tahun mengambil bahagian dalam liga selama enam minggu yang bermula pada 2 April 2016.
Dalam lima edisi, seramai 4,185 orang pemain bola sepak telah mencuba di AJFC Malaysia. Penyertaan Malaysia pada AJFC di Munich, Jerman semakin berkembang daripada dua peserta pada tahun 2012 kepada lima peserta tahun lepas termasuk pasangan kembar yang merupakan pemenang wildcard dari AJFC Asia di Bali, Indonesia.
