KUALA LUMPUR – Former Kedah FC coach Azraai Khor Abdullah has described the national head coach, Kim Pan-gon, as the Jurgen Klopp of Malaysian football.
The legendary football coach, known for his historic back-to-back domestic trebles (in 2006/07 and 2007/08), believes the South Korean’s way of experimenting and rotating the Harimau Malaya team is very similar to the approach of Liverpool’s manager.
“I need to admit that Pan-gon is doing a great job with the national team, and he’s been performing beyond expectations. The team now look entertaining to watch, and the best part is the players are pressing for the ball, which was a rare occurrence in the past.
“I also admire Pan-gon’s choice of players, where he carefully analyses and selects them to be a part of the national team. Pan-gon is also giving all the players that he has selected equal game time without being biased towards anyone, which is very similar to Klopp’s way of handling players.
“The team also have a variety of versatile players, such as Darren Lok and Paulo Josue, who can play several offensive positions, and they are also good with their counterattacks and tracking back the ball.
“Pan-gon is a tactical and result-oriented person, and with him in charge, I won’t be surprised if the team go far in the upcoming Asian Cup tournament,” said Azraai when contacted by Scoop.
At the same time, Azraai believes the Harimau Malaya can qualify for the last 16 of the tournament with ease despite being in a group with teams ranked above them.
“With the team that Pan-gon has, I can guarantee that the team will not have any problem qualifying for the next round of the tournament.
“The team have been exposed to some of the higher-ranking teams in many friendlies and tournaments in the past and have never lost the games, always showcasing commendable performances.
“In the past, the national team tended to struggle against teams physically superior to them, especially when playing against Arab nations. Times have changed now as the Harimau Malaya are playing with more speed and calmness on the ball.
“The Harimau Malaya will win their first two games and qualify for the round of 16 with six points, and that’s my prediction for the team in the tournament,” Azraai added.
Yesterday, Malaysia drew 2-2 in a closed-door friendly against Syria at the Grand Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar.
The Harimau Malaya’s goals were scored by Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi and Paulo Josue.
Malaysia, who ended a 42-year wait to qualify for the Asian Cup on merit, will begin their Group E campaign against Jordan on January 15, followed by clashes with Bahrain on January 20 and two-time champions South Korea on January 25. – January 9, 2024