KUALA LUMPUR – As it remains a mystery where national football player Brendan Gan’s next club destination will be, Selangor FC head coach Tan Cheng Hoe openly admits to missing his presence at the club.
After plying his trade for four seasons (2020-2024) with the Red Giants, Brendan left the 33-time Malaysia Cup champions last week on mutual terms, as the club undergoes a restructuring process.
With Selangor, the 35-year-old made a total of 80 appearances, 75 of them in the starting lineup, and captained the team in almost all of their matches.
During that time, the Malaysian-Australian player scored 14 goals and provided 12 assists for the team.
Speaking to Scoop, Cheng Hoe said that he appreciated Brendan’s contribution to the team and wished that he could have used his services longer at the club.
“I have had a great experience working together with Brendan since the day I took charge of the club (since 2022), and he has always been a great inspiration to the dressing room.
“He has always proven that he’s a fighter, and I don’t think there’s any player in the country who has made a comeback to the game after going through what he went through with his health.
“I just wished that he could have played longer at the club, but that’s football. The club has to evolve, and I also have to build a team around the younger players as they are the future of the club.
“I truly miss his presence, and we are still searching for the right player to replace his position on the pitch. I really appreciate his services for the club, and I wish him the best in all his future endeavours,” added Cheng Hoe.
In July 2021, Brendan’s football career took a hit when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, but after battling the disease and undergoing a 12-month rehabilitation period to recover, he eventually returned to lead Selangor FC.
He immediately made an impact when he scored in the Super League match against Sarawak United on September 19, 2022.
It has been speculated that Brendan would be joining Sabah FC under the guidance of Datuk Ong Kim Swee for the upcoming season in the Malaysia Super League.
Brendan previously played for Sabah FC in the 2011/2012 and the 2012/2013 Super League seasons.
However, it was reported that Kim Swee denied the speculation and confirmed that Brendan would not be a part of the Rhinos’ squad.
Brendan has made a total of 18 appearances for Harimau Malaya since 2014 and was part of head coach Kim Pan-gon’s AFC Asian Cup squad, being in the starting lineup in their final group match against South Korea, which they drew 3-3. – February 7, 2024