KUALA LUMPUR – National football team technical director Tan Cheng Hoe is understood to be on standby to assume the role of Harimau Malaya head coach should Peter Cklamovski leave for English League Two side Salford City.
The development comes amid growing speculation surrounding Cklamovski’s future after reports in England linked the Australian with the vacant managerial position at Salford City, a club co-owned by former Manchester United stars including David Beckham and Gary Neville.
A well-placed football source from the football fraternity told Scoop that while no decision has been made regarding Cklamovski’s future, Cheng Hoe is widely regarded as the natural choice to ensure continuity should the national team find itself searching for a new coach.
“If Cklamovski leaves, Cheng Hoe is the name most people in football expect to step in, at least in the short term,” the source said.
“He already understands the structure, the players, the expectations and the direction the team is heading. There would be no need for a lengthy adaptation period.”
The source added that any transition would be smoother under Cheng Hoe compared to bringing in an entirely new coach midway through an important cycle.
“The national team needs to maintain its momentum and the last thing you want is unnecessary disruption. Cheng Hoe has the experience and credibility to keep things moving while a longer-term decision is considered.
“He’s not someone coming in from outside. He knows Malaysian football inside out and remains closely involved with the national team setup.”
Reports from England have identified Cklamovski as one of several candidates under consideration by Salford following the departure of Karl Robinson.
However, neither Salford nor the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has publicly commented on the speculation.
The Australian’s stock has risen considerably over the past decade after working alongside Ange Postecoglou with the Australian national team and Japanese club Yokohama F. Marinos, where they won the J1 League title in 2019.
He later held managerial roles with Shimizu S-Pulse, Montedio Yamagata and FC Tokyo before taking charge of Malaysia.
His impressive start with Harimau Malaya has only strengthened his reputation, particularly after overseeing a series of encouraging performances prior to the infamous seven-player ineligible heritage issue.
Such progress has inevitably attracted attention from abroad, with the source acknowledging that opportunities in English football can be difficult for ambitious coaches to ignore.
“English clubs carry a different attraction. If a formal offer comes and Cklamovski feels it is the right move for his career, people within football will understand that.
“But from Malaysia’s perspective, there needs to be a contingency plan and Cheng Hoe is the most sensible option available.”
Should that scenario materialise, the source believes Cheng Hoe’s previous experience with the national team would make him the ideal candidate to provide stability.
The Kedah-born coach famously guided Malaysia to the final of the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup and oversaw several memorable results during his tenure in charge of Harimau Malaya.
“Cheng Hoe has already shown he can handle the pressure of leading the national team. That experience matters.
“For now, Cklamovski remains the coach and everything is business as usual. But if circumstances change, Cheng Hoe is very much the man waiting in the wings,” said the source. – June 16, 2026