Josue warns Harimau Malaya must prepare for life beyond ageing veterans

KUALA LUMPUR – Paulo Josue knows his time in international football is running out and believes Harimau Malaya must start preparing for life beyond their veteran players by giving the next generation greater opportunities. The 37-year-old midfielder admitted he was surprised by his recent national team call-ups, insisting that Malaysia should not become overly reliant on experienced players as they look towards upcoming international competitions. Josue, who represents Kuala Lumpur City FC, believes the transition to a younger generation must begin sooner rather than later, pointing out that even established senior players have a limited time left at the highest level. He also highlighted Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) striker Bergson da Silva as another experienced player whose international career will eventually reach its natural conclusion, reinforcing the need to develop younger alternatives. "I was quite surprised when the coach (Tan Cheng Hoe) called me up recently because, in my opinion, new players need to be given opportunities to come through and continue the cycle of the national team. "We have to start building for the future because players like me will not be around forever. There needs to be a gradual transition, and the younger players must be given the chance to step up and gain international experience. "Nevertheless, whenever I receive a call-up, I feel extremely proud. Representing the country is always an honour, and I will always be ready to contribute whenever I am needed," Josue told Scoop when contacted. The Brazilian-born midfielder also singled out young forward Fergus Tierney as an example of how emerging talents can make the most of their opportunities at international level. Josue was pleased with Tierney's progress, saying the youngster had shown the confidence and ability to make an immediate impact whenever called upon. "I am very happy with Fergus' performances. He came into the national team, performed well and showed that he deserved his place. "He has been involved in every match, scored goals and demonstrated that he can contribute to the team. That is exactly what we want to see from young players when they are given an opportunity. "They need to take their chances, continue improving and show that they are ready to become important players for Malaysia in the years ahead," he added. Tierney is currently pursuing his career in Europe with Cypriot club PAC Omonia, where he has made an encouraging start, registering two goals and one assist in seven appearances so far. - October 30, 2026 The post Josue warns Harimau Malaya must prepare for life beyond ageing veterans appeared first on Scoop .