PETALING JAYA: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has announced Harimau Malaya coach Kim Pan Gon’s resignation today.
In a statement today, the South Korean relinquished his position due to “personal commitments”.
In his stead, national assistant head coach Pau Marti Vicente from Spain will take over the job in coaching the team, assisted by another national assistant coach E. Elavarasan, said FAM vice president Datuk Mohd Yusoff Haji Mahadi.
Previously, Pan Gon had a meeting with the association’s management to cut his contract, due until 2025, short.
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“It was followed by several more meetings in which we tried to persuade him to reconsider his decision, but ultimately,
“The management and the FAM Executive Committee respected his decision and agreed to release Pan Gon by mutual consent, even though he still had a contract with FAM until December 2025,
“Of course, this is sad news for all of us because he has successfully led the Harimau Malaya squad to qualify for the 2023 Asian Cup, and our FIFA ranking has also improved during the two and a half years he coached the national team. We will miss him greatly,” Yusoff said during a press conference held in Wisma FAM, Kelana Jaya today.
Meanwhile, Pan Gon described his two and a half year journey coaching the team as being the most wonderful and extraordinary in his life especially when Harimau Malaya qualified for the Asian Cup after 43 long years.
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“Today, I have decided to step down as the head coach of the Malaysian national squad due to my personal commitments. I apologize for any disappointment this may cause to all parties.
“In our last match of the 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar last January, we managed to draw 3-3 with the 22nd-ranked team in the world, South Korea, which is a point of pride that Malaysians should have in their football.
“However, unfortunately, we did not qualify for the final round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. But with three wins, one draw, two losses, and 10 points, we have laid a foundation and momentum to foster hope for a bright future for Malaysian football,” he said during the press conference.
He also conveyed his gratitude to FAM President Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin, Sports and Youth Minister Hannah Yeoh as well as the government and the Liga Malaysia clubs for supporting him along with Ultras Malaya.
“Now as a “half” Malaysian, I will always support the Malaysian football team and take pride in Malaysia wherever I go,” he added.
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Eventhough Pan Gon has stepped down from his post, other coaching staff who are assistant coach Park Bobaem; goalkeeper coach Cho Junho; fitness coach Jihyeon Park and performance analysis coach Lim Jaehun will remain assisting Pau Marti and Elavarasan based on their respective contracts.
Pau Marti’s will be coaching the team for the 2024 Pestabola Merdeka match held in the National Stadium at Bukit Jalil this coming September which will be joined by three other international teams from Tajikistan, Lebanon and the Philippines, Yusoff said.
He added that FAM National Teams Management Committee will continue assessing and supervising Harimau Malaya’s performance from time to time under Pau’s tutelage especially with the upcoming 2024 Mitsubishi Electric ASEAN Cup in November and December along with the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifications starting in March 2025.
