KUALA LUMPUR — Former Australia captain Mark Milligan is eager to begin his role as assistant coach of Harimau Malaya and is ready to help steer the national squad towards a brighter future.
His appointment confirms Scoop’s report on January 6, which first linked the former Socceroos midfielder to the role.
At the time, a source within the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) revealed that Milligan was the frontrunner for the position.
The 39-year-old, in a statement released by FAM, said he was drawn to the transformative football project led by the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan, which ultimately brought him to Malaysia.
“It’s great to be here and to start my duties as soon as possible. When the opportunity to join Harimau Malaya came, it was a chance for me as a coach to be part of something exciting.
“It was an easy decision to join this project after I was contacted by head coach Peter Cklamovski,” he said, Bernama reported.
Milligan also reaffirmed his commitment to using his extensive experience to benefit the national squad.
He expressed pride in seeing young Malaysian players being given the chance to compete at the highest level in Asian competitions and stressed the importance of clubs continuing to nurture local talent.
“The most important thing is for clubs to continue providing young players with opportunities to play, and a competitive league will certainly benefit the national team,” he added.
Milligan arrived in Malaysia in mid-February and began his duties by observing the first leg of the Challenge Cup final between Selangor FC and PDRM FC last Saturday. — February 22, 2025