By ERIC SAMUEL

PETALING JAYA: Youngster Tam Sheang Tsung may have to wait for a while before he can achieve his dream of playing for Malaysia.

The 17-year-old, who is attached to the Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua, underwent a four-day trial with the Harimau Muda A (Under-21) squad at the Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) invited him for the trials.

Young and eager: Tam Sheang Tsung underwent a four-day trial with the Harimau Muda A (Under-21) squad. — ROHAIZAT DARUS / The Star

But he failed to impress national Under-23 team coach Ong Kim Swee.

Said Kim Swee: “He needs more time to acclimatise to the conditions here. I think it is the vast age difference and it is far too big a gap for the boy to fit in the squad (Harimau Muda A). Perhaps he can be tried out with the Harimau B (Under-19) or C (Under-17) teams.”

A disappointed Sheang Tsung, who was born in Japan, said the weather was too hot for him and it had affected his performance.

“I am excited to be here but I am not able to give my best. It is hot here and the weather is cold in Shanghai.

“I am not used to the change in climate. It is something new and I hope to learn to adapt to the new conditions,” said the soft-spoken Sheang Tsung.

Kim Swee said they would continue to monitor Sheang Tsung’s progress.

“We will see how it goes for Sheang Tsung and will keep tabs on his progress from time to time in Shanghai,” added Kim Swee.

Sheang Tsung attended a six-month trial with Shanghai Shenhua before being roped into the club’s reserve squad by then coach Nicholas Anelka last May. The Malaysian, however, cannot play in the league until he is 18 in May.

Sheang Tsung made his first official senior debut with the club on July 25 last year when he came on as a late substitute in a pre-season friendly match against the visiting English Premier League giants Manchester United.

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