KUALA LUMPUR – Bojan Hodak has denied rumours that he will be taking on the head coach role at Selangor FC, following Tan Cheng Hoe’s departure to lead Police Tero FC in Thailand’s top football league.
Despite being rumoured as a top contender due to his extensive experience in Malaysian football, including successful stints with Johor Darul Ta’zim, Kelantan FC, and Kuala Lumpur City FC, Hodak said that he has not been approached or even shortlisted for the role.
Throughout his 15 years of experience, the Croatian coach has won every major title in the M-League, including the Malaysia Super League, Malaysia Cup, and FA Cup.
Speaking to Scoop from Bandung, where he currently leads Persib Bandung, Hodak said that he is content with his current position, where his team currently sits second in the league (Liga 1) with 48 points behind Borneo Samarinda.
“The rumours are not true, and I have never been shortlisted for the job. The club’s management hasn’t contacted me for any interviews.
“I’m currently enjoying my time working in Indonesia, and the league (Liga 1) over here is challenging, and my players always feel pumped to work under me every week.
“My players have always been loyal to me since the day I joined, and they make me feel at home, so I have no plans of leaving them just like that,” he told Scoop when contacted.
However, Hodak has never ruled out the possibility of one day guiding the Red Giants or any Malaysian clubs, stating that he prioritises a club’s direction before even considering signing with them.
“More than the money that a club offers, I’m a coach who prioritises the direction of a club. So if Selangor FC or any clubs in Malaysia happen to have a proper plan and direction in the future… why not? I will be ready to come back to Malaysia and lead the club,” said Hodak.
It was reported previously that Cheng Hoe, despite having an existing contract with the Red Giants, agreed to a mutual termination with the club, with the club receiving a compensation fee based on his contract.
In the meantime, Nidzam Jamil, formerly assistant head coach under Cheng Hoe, has been appointed as interim head coach for Selangor FC while the club searches for a permanent replacement.
Under Cheng Hoe’s guidance, Selangor FC finished second in the Malaysia Super League with 61 points and qualified for next season’s AFC Asian Champions League 2 group stage.
Selangor FC’s participation in this season’s AFC Champions League 2 marked the Red Giant’s return to elite Asian football competition since their 2016 AFC Cup outing, where they failed to advance beyond the group stage.
The AFC Champions League 2 offers a prize of US$8 million (RM37.74 million) for the champions and US$4 million (RM18.8 million) for the runners-up.
The tournament will feature 32 teams divided into eight groups, followed by knockout rounds leading to the final.
The Red Giants have been on a player-purchasing spree with the signings of Nooa Laine (national player), Umarbek Eshmurodov (Uzbekistan), Ronnie Fernandez (Chile), and Azim Al Amin (national U-23 player), with transfer market values estimated between RM500,000 to RM800,000, according to www.transfermarkt.com. – March 6, 2024