KUALA LUMPUR – Concerns about the influence of football coaches in shaping a positive mentality and a healthy approach among players towards the beautiful game are mounting as assaults on football officials escalate.
The pressing need for coaches to instill the right mindset has become a cornerstone of the nation’s football philosophy, with hopes resting on effective coaching to drive a positive and respectful environment within the football community.
Speaking to Scoop, former national player and Selangor FC assistant coach P. Maniam highlights the profound impact coaches can have on players, asserting that a footballer’s mentality is often moulded by the personality and guidance of their coach.
Maniam stresses the pivotal role coaches play, saying that coaches “should be a father figure and an educator for our players, where a father’s role is to educate and develop their child to be a better person in society.
“We have the power to shape, not just the playing style of our athletes, but also their character. It goes beyond the field… it’s about building individuals who embody respect and fair play.
“If the coaches fail to portray a strong character, the players will also exhibit a weak character on the pitch.”
Drawing parallels with successful foreign football clubs like Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, he underscores the importance of cultivating an aura that promotes respect and fair play on the pitch.
“For example, if we look at foreign football clubs such as the Liverpool squad, it’s very rare to see their players acting violently during a match.
“This is due to the manager’s aura towards the players and how he develops his players’ behaviour on the field.
“In my case, I am proud to say that I developed several players during my time, including Syahmi Safari (Johor Darul Ta’zim), V. Ruventhiran (Selangor FC), Darren Lok (Sabah FC), and Mahalli Jasuli (Negri Sembilan FC), who still uphold my education towards them on how to behave in a civilised manner on the pitch,” Maniam said.
Maniam, currently the head coach for Harini FC in the M3 League, expresses concern about the lack of understanding of player management among Malaysian coaches, particularly those in grassroots programmes like the Akademi Mokthar Dahari.
He suggests that the prevalence of coaches with lower-tier licences contributes to challenges in building proper dressing-room dynamics and shaping players with the right mentality.
“Coaches with only a C or D grade coaching licence are easily hired in our country nowadays by management in social league teams and grassroots teams.
“These are not good enough to coach the upcoming talents and shape them with the right mentality,” he added.
In a call for improvement, Maniam advocates for Malaysian coaches to evolve and acquire higher coaching licences, citing the success of countries like Germany, where coaches working with development and grassroots teams hold professional A licences.
He contends that upgrading coaching qualifications to grade A is essential for developing players with the ethics, maturity, and winning mentality needed to compete at the highest levels.
“… that’s the reason why we always see many top players with the right winning mentality emerge from the team whenever they play in the World Cup and other tournaments, such as Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich) and Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), which is very contrary to our local players.
“Our local coaches should upgrade their coaching licence to grade A so that they will have the maturity, experience, and capability to produce better players,” Maniam added.
The urgency of addressing these coaching challenges comes in the wake of recent incidents, including a lifetime ban imposed by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) on former Selangor FC center-back Yazan Al-Arab for assaulting a match referee.
FAM has also suspended two grassroots clubs involved in a brawl during a Suparimau League match in Putrajaya.
Maniam, who played for Selangor in the 1990s, holds a Pro Diploma licence from the Asian Football Confederation, the highest coaching license in Asia and equivalent to UEFA’s pro license. – November 21, 2023