Myanmar’s participation in the most recent 2020 AFF Suzuki Cup ended a dark and violent year for the nation.
The tragic events that shook the country in 2021 devastated their preparation for the tournament. From footballers being fatally shot in a restaurant, to members taking refuge in Japan, to a full-on boycott of the national team, it is a minor miracle that the side was able to appear at the regional tournament at all.
Main Stand will take you through Myanmar’s journey and the struggles of assembling a team for the AFF Cup amidst the turmoil in their country.
Boycott for democracy
On February 1st, 2021, Min Aung Hlaing, Supreme Commander of Myanmar, led a coup to take governing power from the State Counsellor (equivalent to Prime Minister), Aung San Su Kyi, who won the previous election in November 2020.
This coup sparked mass discontent among the people of Myanmar. Inspired by the anti-dictatorial movements occurring in neighboring countries such as Hong Kong and Thailand, citizens arose to revolt against the military junta.
Many of the protest tactics used by citizens in Myanmar were similar to those seen in neighboring countries, with whom they formed the ‘Milk Tea Alliance.’ Supporters of his group have co-opted the three-finger symbol from the popular novel and movie series “The Hunger Games” in their resistance to dictatorship.
People from all walks of life came together to stand up against the military junta, and footballers were no exception. The protesters were met by a brutal and violent crackdown, ranging from arrests to brutal murder by security forces.
The first Myanmarese footballer to stand up in protest was Kyaw Zin Htet, the number one goalkeeper for the Myanmar national team. He expressed himself through the media shortly after the coup and announced that he would no longer play for the national team while Myanmar is under the military junta.
“We will play football on the streets until our people get their democracy. We will not play for Myanmar under a military junta. We are here to state our protest to the world,” Kyaw Zin Htet said in an interview with a German media outlet.
The next player to voice his discontent was 20-year-old winger Hein Htet Aung of Selangor FA, who celebrated a goal against RMP FC on March 6th, 2021 by holding up the three-finger sign. The pair’s bold protests encouraged others to join the resistance, whether by publicly stating their discontent or boycotting the national team altogether.
Despite harassment from the military junta, footballers continued to express themselves. Former captain Zaw Min Tun, now of Chonburi FC, boycotted the side. Meanwhile, in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Japan, goalkeeper Pyae Lyan Aung raised the three finger salute during the national anthem. He was subsequently forced to take refuge Japan, and granted asylum in the country.
Unfortunately, not all of the dissidents have managed to find safety abroad. Another footballer who supported the protest was Chit Bo Nyein, a midfielder for the U21 national team. After taking part in a street protest, he was tragically and fatally shot by the military in his own family restaurant.
These events drove many footballers in Myanmar to withdraw from the national team, both due to their dissent and fear for their personal safety. The mass withdrawal did not appear to have much of an effect on the military junta, but strongly hampered their ability to form a team for the 2021 AFF Suzuki Cup.
Assembling the best team they can
For football supporters in Myanmar, the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup is one of the biggest events on the calendar, as it provides a chance to close the gap between the biggest sides in the region. Their drive for improvement can be seen in exporting notable footballers to compete in the Thai League such as Aung Thu, Zaw Min Tun, and Kyaw Ko Ko.
The side also enlisted German head coach Antonie Hey to organize and develop a system for the team. He has been in charge of the side since 2019 and has been targeting a strong showing in this tournament and the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers.
However, the withdrawal of core players from the national team decimated Antoine Hey’s plans, and the hapless side was defeated 10-0 by Japan. Despite the circumstances, Hey still affirmed his belief in the Myanmar team’s ability to move forward.
“Our focus is us, our teamwork, our footballers. We will not choose a side in politics, we only want to do what we love and produce the best football we can,” Hey explained in an interview after that defeat.
Antoine Hey proceeded to build his team under many restrictions. Firstly, most foreign footballers who are living outside Myanmar were removed from consideration, as they didn’t want to return home out of fear for their personal safety. This includes players such as Aung Thu and Kyaw Ko Ko in the Thai League, who have been heroes for the national side in the past.
The second restriction omitted any players who had any history of protests against the coup. This includes many footballers who are still in the country but actively joined protests such as Kyaw Zin Htet - although he would not wish to play for the national team anyway.
Combining these two restrictions, Myanmar’s squad for the Suzuki Cup mostly comprised of lesser-known players from within the domestic league.
However, that was just the start of the problems Coach Hey had to face.
Shortly after the coup, the 2021 Myanmar Football League was canceled, as the military junta was cautious of the football league being another stage to express political views. Intended to start in April, its cancellation meant the players’ fitness levels dwindled and there was no opportunity for scouting new players. Hey was forced to assemble the team from players he already knew and given no opportunity to find fresh faces to replace the many absentees.
Most of the players recruited to the national team were from 2020 league champions Shan United F.C, who had seven representatives, and Yangon United, who supplied a further six. Only two players from outside Myanmar joined up with the team. They were rising star Aung Kuang Mann from Sri Pahang FC, and stunningly, Hein Htet Aung from Selangor, who used the three-finger salute in protest against the regime. His return created a strong impression on the people.
Despite the circumstances, Antonie Hey and the Myanmar squad powered through and departed in November for a one-month boot camp in Turkey ahead of the tournament.
The story of Myanmar’s national football team ahead of the 2020 Suzuki Cup is one of true and great courage. This is seen both in the bravery of the footballers who chose to risk their lives and speak up against the military dictatorship, and those who choose to power through and hopefully bring some smiles to the people of Myanmar during these incredibly dark times.
Sources:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jun/02/myanmar-football-crisis-pull-outs-suspension-threat-follow-coup-japan
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jun/02/myanmar-football-crisis-pull-outs-suspension-threat-follow-coup-japan
