KUALA LUMPUR: Dion Cools, considered the most expensive player in the national team with a value of Є750,000 (RM3.8 million), is literally an asset to Harimau Malaya.
And the 27-year-old's numbers on the field is impressive too.
Though Cools is known as a superb defender, he has an eye for goals too, having scored four times in 19 matches for Malaysia since his debut two years ago.
Cools is the type of the player that every national coach will want for the Malaysian team. Such is his steadying influence on the team that he is made co-captain within a short time of joining them.
Cools, who is of Belgian-Malaysian parentage, saw action against the likes of Liverpool in the Champions League several years ago when turning out for Danish club FC Midtjylland. He now plays for Thai club Buriram United.
On Thursday, Cools played a major role in Malaysia's dramatic 4-3 win against Kyrgyzstan in a World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
Not only did he score two vital goals, in the seventh and 77th minutes, Cools showed a cool head in getting things organised in the heat of the battle.
Cools was deservingly named Man of the Match, and the 17,000 lucky fans at the stadium who witnessed a memorable World Cup qualifier, would readily agree.
Former national coach, Datuk Ong Kim Swee, said: "Having Cools would be an advantage for any team playing in the big leagues or for countries. This (a player of Cool's influence) is important especially when the team are losing or trying to make a comeback.
"When Cools scored the third goal (against Kyrgyzstan), I think it made us believe that anything can happen with fighting spirit.
"Cools is outstanding. Having him in the backline will definitely give the others the confidence in one versus one situations."
On Malaysia's performance against Kyrgyzstan, Kim Swee said he loves their the fighting spirit but questioned the team's consistency.
"The team showed great fighting spirit and belief but we can't concede so many goals in the future because we may not bounce back," said Kim Swee.
As Malaysia aim to advance past Group D, which also has Oman and Taiwan, into the third round of World Cup qualifiers, the national team need inspirers like Cools.
