Mattew McConkey, newly appointed head coach of Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng, has shared his enthusiasm for the “enormous benefits” his new-look squad is gaining from their current Malaysia training camp. While there, the club has played a friendly against played a local Super League side, with another coming up later today.
The Northen Irishman believed the camp and friendlies have given the players invaluable experience as they prepare for the new season, especially for upcoming international competitions where they will represent Cambodia.
The day after their Tuesday arrival, Svay Rieng played a friendly match against Terengganu FC. The match ended in a 2–2 draw. This Friday, the Cambodian Premier League champions will take on Negeri Sembilan.
Coach McConkey said the Malaysia camp and matches were especially good for new players, helping them adjust to the team’s environment and chemistry. He believes the training sessions and friendlies with foreign teams offer valuable experience and strengthen team cohesion, better preparing them for official international fixtures.
“It’s really great for us as a team from Cambodia to play against various teams here, like Terengganu FC, which has played a lot of friendlies. It’s good exposure for us to play abroad,” he said, via the club’s media team.
“When we compete in the Shopee Cup and AFC matches, it’s important to measure our level against Malaysian clubs and others in ASEAN. Honestly, the biggest benefit is getting real competitive exposure ahead of our other official games,” he added.
In the upcoming 2025–2026 season, Svay Rieng will not only be defending their Cambodian Premier League title, but will also be competing in the AFC Challenge League. They received automatic qualification for the group stage after finishing as runners-up in the 2024–2025 season.
In addition, they will contest the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup 2025/2026. They have been drawn in Group B, alongside Nam Dinh FC (Vietnam Premier League champions), Johor Darul Ta’zim FC (Malaysia champions), Lion City Sailors FC (Singapore champion), and Thailand’s Bangkok United, as well as either Shan United (Myanmar) or Ezra FC (Laos), who have yet to meet in a qualifier.
However, McConkey admitted that Svay Rieng’s current preparation is not yet at its best, and shared his belief that the team still needs more time for players to bond and build mutual understanding — especially the new signings, who are still adapting to his vision.
“Right now, the new players are slowly adapting. You can see in training that some things are going well, but there are still issues — some playing styles are not yet correct. That’s normal. As coaches and players, we continue working on these aspects to improve,” he said.
Yudai Ogawa, a Japanese-Cambodian midfielder who recently joined from Phnom Penh Crown, agreed that the training and friendly matches in Malaysia re providing valuable new experiences, but emphasised that more time is needed to improve the team’s performance.
“We’re trying to implement what the team wants, and I believe these last two matches will give us even more experience. We are progressing toward our playing goals, but in terms of physical and technical development, we still need more time,” he acknowledged.
“I think this pre-season camp has helped us understand each other much better,” he added.
