All football clubs in Malaysia do not 'disturb' Luqman Hakim, says football expert

SHAH ALAM - Malaysian football clubs should not 'disturb' players who are currently gaining experience in football clubs abroad.

"Let them gain their experience as much as they can," former Selangor team manager Zakaria Ab Rahim said when contacted by Sinar Daily.

He was commenting on a recent rumour that a certain Malaysian club had their eyes set on talented young football player Luqman Hakim Shamsudin.

"Let them be, let him learn whatever he can in Belgium it’s not about him not performing well, it’s about where he plays now.

“Now, he is playing in Belgium, a club in the European league, which of course is the one of the best in the world." Zakaria elaborated.

He added that the 20-year-old football player for Belgian club KV Kortrijk needs to work hard, strengthen his stamina and be patient.

Since he joined thet club in 2020, as a fresh teen star, Luqman’s game minutes have become a hot topic among local football fans who closely follow the Kelantan boy's football career in Europe.

Zakaria said that it might be easier for Luqman to play in the Malaysian league, but now he is playing in the European league, he needs to compete with other intenational players.

"It is a good challenging learning environment, to Luqman or any other Malaysian football players who are playing abroad, do not come back to Malaysia until you are performing well, this is not only good for yourself but also good for our country”, Zakaria said

Last season, Luqman's statistics looked quite bleak without any game minutes and only appearing in the national squad at the Southeast Asian Games and international friendlies.

This season has not been much of an improvement for Luqman, where he only got two minutes of play during the Belgian First Division A match against KVC Westerlo on Oct 22, 2022.

Luqman was also only able to play a minute during the action against OH Leuven in the Beker Van Belgie tournament last Dec 20.

Luqman’s fate with KV Kortrijk for the 2023 season is uncertain as the club actively recruits new, incredibly talented young players from around the world.

In 2020, Luqman was just a scrawny teenager from Kota Baru who journeyed to Belgium in August to join K.V. Kortrijk after signing a five-year contract.

He also made the Guardian's annual list of Next Generation's 60 of the best young talents in world football the year prior.