KUALA LUMPUR – Outgoing national football head coach Kim Pan-gon believes that Pau Marti Vicente is the ideal candidate to continue the legacy he has created for Harimau Malaya.
Earlier, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) held a surprise press conference announcing the resignation of the 55-year-old, citing personal commitments as the reason for his decision.
Vicente will be the acting head coach of the national team with immediate effect. His first task will be the Pestabola Merdeka, scheduled during the upcoming FIFA International match calendar from September 2 to September 10 at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil.
Many thought Pan-gon’s support staff would also leave with him, but FAM confirmed that Pan-gon would be the only one departing.
The new coach will be assisted by E. Elavarasan, with the South Korean crew of Park Bo-bae (assistant coach), Cho Jun-ho (goalkeeper coach), Park Ji-hyeon (fitness coach), Lim Jae-hin, and Lee Je-yeon (performance analysts) staying on.
Vicente has been the assistant head coach for the Hong Kong football team from 2012-2013, Adelaide United FC (2013-2017), and the assistant head coach for the Barcelona under-18 team (2017-2022).
Pan-gon said that Vicente is by far one of the most hardworking coaches he has worked with in his 22-year coaching career.
“Pau Marti is an intelligent and hardworking coach and he deserves to be here in Malaysia as he worked with both the under-23 national team and the senior national team.
“I can guarantee that he can continue the legacy and the system that I have created and I hope he can bring the team to greater heights.
“He has great experience in the places he has managed and coached over the years, and his experience with Barcelona is invaluable in my opinion.
“I wish the best for him and for Harimau Malaya,” said Pan-gon in a press conference at Wisma FAM today.
When did Pan-gon decide it was time to go?
Pan-gon revealed that he made his decision to leave the national team with his coaching team after his side failed to qualify for the next round of the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.
“I discussed this with my coaching staff after the game against Chinese Taipei at Bukit Jalil, and we got together and started discussing my future with the team.
“We had a serious meeting that day, and I remember it very well, but I made the decision for the betterment of the team. In the meeting, we also discussed a lot of analyses, and I transferred my knowledge to whatever I could.
“I cannot talk about what else we discussed, but I can guarantee that my coaching team is committed to the national team,” Pan-gon added.
Pan-gon, who has been with the squad since 2022, played a pivotal role in transforming the national team’s fortunes on the international stage, guiding them to qualify for the Asian Cup on merit after a 42-year absence.
The South Korean coach also led Harimau Malaya to second-place finishes in the 2022 Thai King’s Cup and the 2023 Merdeka Tournament. – July 16, 2024