KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia has unveiled the namelist of the football squad for the upcoming ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Championship, calling back several veterans, a report said Tuesday.

    "With the ASEAN Football Championship being used as part of the preparations for the AFC Asian Cup 2007, we have to start looking at players whom we can count on and those whom we can't," national football coach Norizan Baka was quoted as saying.

    Veteran players Hairuddin Omar, Irwan Fadli Idrus and Mohd Nizaruddin Yusof are back in the side and so are wingers Eddy Helmi Manan and Rezal Zambery Yahya, Mohd Shukor Adan and goalkeeper Azizon Kadir, said the report posted on the official website of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

    "We have reached a point where we need to know whether these experienced lads have the desire to play internationally or otherwise, " Norizan said.

    For the AFF Championship, Malaysia is in Group A with Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar and play their group matches in Bangkok. Group B has Singapore, Vietnam, Laos and Indonesia.