KUALA LUMPUR — The restructuring of the National Football Development Programme (NFDP) is beginning to show positive results through the technical collaboration between the National Sports Council (NSC) and the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM).
Speaking to Scoop, NSC director-general Jefri Ngadirin said early signs of progress could be seen through the national Under-16 squad’s runners-up finish at the 2026 ASEAN Under-17 Championship in Indonesia last month.
“As announced last year, all technical aspects of the NFDP are now managed by FAM. We are already seeing encouraging results following the team’s performance at the recent Under-17 tournament,” he said.
Under the restructuring, former Harimau Malaya head coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee was appointed as NFDP technical director to oversee the programme’s overall technical direction, talent development, and coaching structure.
Several experienced coaches and former internationals were also brought into the revamped setup, including former national captain Shukor Adan, who was named head coach of the under-16 squad.
Former national head coach Datuk Dollah Salleh was also appointed assistant technical director as part of the new structure.
The restructuring also gave FAM greater control over coaching methodology, player development, talent identification, and alignment between NFDP and the national youth teams.
Jefri said the restructuring was aimed at strengthening the development pathway for young players and ensuring greater continuity in grooming talent for the national setup.
“This adjustment allows players under the NFDP to be developed in a more structured environment. It is part of our long-term effort to build a stronger pool of players for the future,” he said.
He added that government funding for football development would be managed optimally to support coaching, athlete welfare, sports science, and performance monitoring programmes.
“We want to ensure the allocation benefits the overall development ecosystem, including the management of coaches, athletes, and player performance,” he said.
Malaysia finished runners-up at the 2026 ASEAN Under-17 Championship after losing 0-3 to Vietnam in the final. – May 12, 2026