KUALA LUMPUR – The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has shot down rumours that former Japanese star Keisuke Honda is taking on the role as the new head coach for the national Under-23 team.
FAM’s secretary-general, Noor Azman Rahman, has urged fans to refrain from speculating and await the official announcement from the footballing body.
“We would appreciate it if fans could refrain from spreading rumours by associating former international footballers like Honda with the position of the new coach of Harimau Muda.
“The process of evaluating our candidates for the head coach is still ongoing, and we will make the formal announcement very soon,” Azman said during the launch of the Unity Carnival in conjunction with PestaBola Merdeka today.
Azman, however, did not reveal the list of candidates for the role and hinted that the new coach would be in line with the Harimau Malaya squad.
“I am unable to disclose the list of candidates at this time as we are still in discussions.
“The committee is in talks with the senior head coach, Kim Pan-gon, and we will definitely appoint a head coach who aligns with the DNA of Harimau Malaya,” Azman added.
Honda, who scored 42 goals in 117 caps for Japan, currently serves as the head coach of the Cambodia Under-23 football team.
Honda’s most recent achievement with the Koupreys came in the 2022 Asean Football Federation (AFF) championship, when he led the team to a quarterfinal finish.
In a statement released last week, FAM reached a mutual understanding with E. Elavarasan, allowing him to focus on his duties with the senior team while creating an opportunity for someone else to assume responsibility for the U23 Asian Cup in April.
Elavarasan was appointed as the head coach of the Under-23 team in September last year, succeeding Brad Maloney.
Under his guidance, Harimau Muda won the Merlion Cup in Singapore in March and reached the semi-finals of last month’s AFF U23 Championship in Rayong, Thailand. – September 27, 2023