DOHA: Winger Faisal Halim says little, and usually his nimble footwork gets more of the attention from fans.
After Malaysia's 4-0 humiliation by Jordan in their Asian Cup opener on Monday, he also spoke laconically, but his words bordered on frustration.
Faisal, 26, tried not to sound so direct lest he is accused of playing the blame game.
He said he is "just one person", implying that every member of the team must do their part 100 per cent.
"I'm not happy. It's not just me but all of the players who played too. However well I played, it makes no difference if we lose," he lamented.
Faisal hinted that Malaysia must accept the reality that their Asian Cup rivals are not the same as before, and have become stronger.
"We're at the highest level (in Asia). We must accept the results and we must be realistic when facing those higher than us," said Faisal.
"But we shouldn't have a negative attitude, we play and give a 100 per cent of what we have trained to do.
"There shouldn't be this 'marketing yourself' mindset. A win is a win, a loss is a loss. But put up a fight."
