GOALKEEPER Khairul Fahmi Che Mat has stood out in the Kelantan team since taking over from former internationals Halim Napi and Shahrizam Ismail. He went on to dislodge Mohd Farizal Marlias and Mohd Sharbinee Allawee in the national team and starred in the Guangzhou Asiad in November and in the just concluded AFF Suzuki Cup. STARSPORT’s ERIC SAMUEL speaks to the new sensation of Malaysian football.
Q: You were making your international senior debut in the AFF tournament. What did you expect playing against strong teams?
A: Many wrote us off after the opening defeat by Indonesia (1-5) in the group stage. But we knew that we could come back and surprise the others.
It was our persistence and the desire to get something out of this tournament that kept us going. It was great.
Q: How do you sum up your performance, so far?
A: I am satisfied with my performance. It could have been better but I am still in the learning process.
And I could not have done it without the help of my coaches (K. Rajagopal, Tan Cheng Hoe and Faozi Mukhlas). The seniors in the team were also great. There was unity and excellent team-work.
Q: Why did you take up goalkeeping? Who was your mentor?
A: It all started from my primary school days in SK Tapang in Kota Baru. I loved to play as a striker but it was my school coach (Mohd Zuki) who made me play as the goalkeeper. From there, I made it to the national sports school in Bukit Jalil when I was 15 before I was drafted into the Harimau Muda squad.
Q: How did you manage to upstage the more senior goalkeepers, Mohd Farizal and Mohd Sharbinee, to get into the first 11 of the national team?
A: It was a huge dose of luck. Both Mohd Farizal and Sharbinee picked up late injuries before the start of the Asian Games and I got the break to play against Kyrgyzstan (2-1), Japan (0-2), China (0-3) and Iran (1-3). It was a valuable experience.
Q: What can you tell us about your experience in the Suzuki Cup final?
A: The first-leg against Indonesia in Bukit Jalil was a memorable one. I kept a clean slate in front of 100,000 fans at the National Stadium.
Then, there was the penalty save in the second-leg final at the Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.
Coach Rajagopal and Faozi tipped me off before the start of the final. They said that Indonesian captain Firman Utina in taking a penalty would hit it to the goalkeeper’s left. I dived in that direction and made the save.
Q: What ambitions do you have with the national team now?
A: We have just conquered South-East Asia. Perhaps, we should look at the 2015 Asian Cup Finals. This is the next big goal for me.
We have never won or had a podium finish in the Asian Cup. This is a top quality tournament and we must be able to stamp our mark before we can dream about going to the Olympics or the World Cup Finals.
Q: How much did the laser beam light problem bother you in the Suzuki Cup?
A: Yes, the laser beam lights were a nuisance but it did not really bother me or affect my performance. The fans were shooting the laser lights but my focus was on the game and not at the stands.
Football fans should not bring such banned items to the stadium. It is not the right thing to do.
Q: You have made great strides for a rookie international goalkeeper. Malaysia had top-notch goalkeepers, among them the late R. Arumugam. Some also plied their trade abroad, among them Wong Kam Fook, Lim Fung Kee and Chow Chee Keong. What are your plans for the future?
A: I am game to play abroad. I want to go as far as possible in my playing career. There is still a long way to go but I am prepared to take up this challenge.
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