KUALA LUMPUR: Former Mokhtar Dahari Academy (AMD) director, Lim Teong Kim(pix) is among the names being considered by Kelantan Football Club as the team’s head coach ahead of the 2023 Super League competition.
Kelantan FC owner, Norizam Tukiman said the club also saw the potential of Teong Kim being appointed as the team’s technical director.
He said that in addition to Teong Kim, the club is also looking at 10 other coaches, among them from Europe and Asian football powerhouses such as Japan and South Korea to guide the team to face greater challenges next season.
“It’s not impossible (to be the Technical Director), it’s actually not impossible for him to be the head coach of Kelantan FC next season....we’ve talked over the phone but haven’t met face to face. So far there is nothing concrete (with Teong Kim).
“Kelantan FC really wants to get the best coach, so we are evaluating which one is the best to be the team manager and Teong Kim is one of the 10 candidates,“ he said when met at the Red Warriors FC Berhad Share Ownership Signing Ceremony here, today.
Commenting further, Norizam said the priority is that the appointed coach must have a good understanding of himself so that the team’s vision and mission can be achieved.
“The head coach has an extraordinary status, but if there is no good chemistry with the owner, he cannot be either,“ he said.
For the record, Teong Kim was first appointed as the technical director of the National Football Development Programme (NFDP) in 2013 before later assuming the position of AMD director in 2016.
However, his duties as NFDP technical director were terminated following the failure of the national Under-16 (U-16) squad to qualify for the 2019 U-17 World Cup before his contract as AMD director was not extended.
In the meantime, at today’s event, Kelantan FC announced Skyrian Sdn Bhd president Nik Hafiz Naim Nik Hassan as a five per cent shareholder of The Red Warriors FC Berhad worth RM3 million.
Norizam said the development proved the community’s confidence in Kelantan’s football industry.
“This is a good thing because when there are investors there will be business, more investors mean more business. God willing all this will be one of the sources of capital to strengthen the team to achieve the mission and vision set,“ he said while admitting that there is still a remaining 15 per cent share up for grab by interested individuals.-Bernama
