Azam determined to take charge of Malaysia’s engine room after recovery

PETALING JAYA: 2023 has been a rough year so far for national midfielder Nor Azam Azih, who had to endure two injuries and even missed out on two national call-ups.

And now that he is back in the Harimau Malaya squad to face Syria (Sept 6) and China (Sept 9) in Chengdu, China, the Pahang playmaker is eager to show that he can take charge of the engine room again.

The 28-year-old Azam has always been one of the most influential midfielders for Pahang in the Super League.

But medial collateral ligament (MCL) and hamstring injuries have made it hard for him to play the full 90 minutes on a regular basis this season.

Azam was also unfairly criticised for his uninspired displays with the national team in March, as many of his critics weren’t aware that he was carrying an injury.

“This year hasn’t been great as I struggled with injuries. During the Johor call-up, when we faced Turkmenistan and Hong Kong, I couldn’t do much,” said Azam.

“There was the MCL injury, and I struggled to cope with the training intensity set by coach Kim Pan-gon. For the next call-up, which was in Terengganu, I was slowed down by a hamstring injury.

“These setbacks can affect you mentally but my teammates in Pahang and my wife are always behind me, supporting me to get back to my best form again.

“Now, I’m fully fit again and ready to serve the country well.”

Despite making 16 starts out of 20 league matches with Pahang, Azam has not been able to exert much influence in midfield, with Kevin Ingresso and Stefano Bruno more often being preferred as creative playmakers.

However, Azam started to show more glimpses of his usual prowess in the middle of the park in the Elephants’ last five league games, a reminder that he’s still very much national material.

He admits he will have to fight hard for a starting spot as the likes of Stuart Wilkin, Endrick Dos Santos, Brendan Gan and Paulo Josue are also eyeing first XI places.

But with niggling injuries now a thing of the past, Azam is determined to show his quality and own a regular spot.

“In football, you always have to fight for a spot in the first XI, even more so when it comes to the national team.

‘’It’s going to be a tough fight with some stellar names but I intend to give my all as I’m a professional.”