KUALA LUMPUR – Bojan Hodak is proud to witness the growth of national forward Romel Morales, whom he takes pride in moulding during his time at Kuala Lumpur City FC.
The 53-year-old coach created a shockwave in the local football scene when he guided KL City FC to defeat powerhouse Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) 2-0 to lift the 2021 Malaysia Cup – and Romel was part of the team that won the tournament, where he emerged as the top scorer with 10 goals.
Speaking to Scoop from Bandung, Bojan said that more than just a footballer, he admires Romel’s character, which he believes is the reason behind his consistent performance on the pitch.
“Romel has been a player that I have always been proud of developing since the day I brought him into KL City FC. His dedication and hard work in training have always made my job as a coach easier, as he always listens to my instructions and delivers whatever I want from him on the pitch.
“I remember him putting on 9kg of body weight after he came back from the Covid-19 pandemic, and I even scolded him for not taking care of his body.
“But he didn’t take my scoldings personally, he took them professionally and came back in perfect shape – dominating with his performances on the pitch.
“This is the kind of attitude that I admire in him, and his professionalism and hard work were the reasons he managed to secure a deal with JDT recently.
“I was so happy when Romel scored the crucial goal against South Korea for Malaysia in the recently concluded AFC Asian Cup. With his level of dedication to the game, I believe he will reach greater heights,” said Bojan when contacted.
The 26-year-old Romel joined KL City in 2021 from Melaka United and went on to score 39 goals in 58 appearances for the club.
Bojan also applauded the progress of KL City’s Haqimi Azim Rosli and hopes the 21-year-old will feature more for Malaysia in the years to come.
“Being in Malaysia for years, I have had the privilege of developing so many young talents in the country. Among them is Haqimi, whom I debuted when he was 19 years old.
“He has now transformed into a good player and has been playing for KL City consistently, all through his own hard work.
“I hope to see him play more for Malaysia in the years to come as he has so much to offer. To be featured more consistently in the Harimau Malaya team will be tough for him due to the high level of competitiveness.
“But I hope that he will be given more chances by head coach Kim Pan-gon, and I can see him becoming a top player for the national team in the years to come,” Bojan added.
Haqimi made his debut for Malaysia on 24 December 2022 in a 5-0 win over Laos, scoring his first international goal during that match.
Bojan left KL City last year and currently manages Persib Bandung in Indonesia.
Persib Bandung, currently sits second in the league (Liga 1) with 48 points, behind Borneo Samarinda. – March 8, 2024