SEA Games: Quak gets his plane ticket

SINGAPORE - He has wiped away the tears and made it onto the plane to Naypyidaw.

But Gabriel Quak may still not get to pull on the Singapore shirt for Aide Iskandar's South-east Asia (SEA) Games team, if he does not fully recover from his hamstring injury.

Quak, 22, suffered a micro tear in a friendly between the Singapore Under-23s and Hougang United on Nov 19 and the injury threw his participation at the upcoming Myanmar SEA Games into jeopardy.

The U-23s leave for Myanmar tomorrow and, speaking to The New Paper yesterday, Quak said: "I'm really grateful and humbled by the faith Aide has placed in me to give me every chance of recovering before the SEA Games.

"I don't want to think about being sent back just a day before the first match against Laos. I'm feeling very positive and motivated."

The U-23s, who open their campaign in a Group A clash against Laos this Sunday, are in an unusual situation: Aide will travel to Myanmar with 22 players - 20 will be on the plane today, with Madhu Mohana and Faris Ramli flying up later in the week pending approval from their respective National Service units. Two will be cut to form the final 20-man squad and the duo dropped will return home one day before the Laos game.

MORALE

Aide said both the coaching staff and players are aware that two players will have to return home early and the possible effects it could have on the morale of the team.

"I would have liked to cut my squad to 20 after Sunday's game, but we have to be fair to the boys who are recovering from injury and dengue," he told The New Paper.

The U-23s routed their counterparts from the Philippines 6-0 on Sunday in their final tune-up, but were without Al-Qaasimy Rahman, Fazli Ayob and Syafiq Zainal, who were recently down with dengue fever. While Fazli has already been dropped, the other two are also still in with a shot at making the final 20-man squad.

Aide will submit that list to the Games organisers on Dec 7 and he will not be able to replace anyone thereafter, even if injuries occur during the campaign.

Quak is just grateful for one final shot at SEA Games glory with a team who have been set the target of getting out of a tough Group A that features defending champions Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos and Brunei, and qualifying for the final.

"For the past two days, I have been sprinting and kicking the ball, and I can feel the progress," Quak said.

"If I recover in time, I will give my all to repay the faith and hard work of the coaches and backroom staff, especially our physio Fizah (Nurhafizah Abu Sujad)."

npsports@sph.com.sg

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