KUALA LUMPUR – Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has expressed that she hopes Kim Pan-gon’s resignation will not disrupt Harimau Malaya’s progress.
Earlier, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) held a surprise press conference announcing the resignation of the 55-year-old coach, citing personal commitments as the reason for his decision.
There were also rumours that Pan-gon and his coaching team were planning to quit the national team in March this year if their services were no longer required, but Pan-gon later denied this speculation.
Since joining the squad in 2022, Pan-gon has played a pivotal role in transforming the national team’s fortunes on the international stage.
He guided Harimau Malaya to qualify for the Asian Cup on merit after a 42-year absence.
Additionally, the South Korean coach led the team to a second-place finish in the 2022 Thai King’s Cup and the 2023 Merdeka Tournament.
Under his leadership, Malaysia’s world ranking improved from 154th to 135th.
Expressing sadness at Pan-gon’s resignation, Hannah acknowledged his significant contributions to Malaysian football.
“I received the news of national coach Pan-gon’s resignation with sadness. He informed me before the announcement, and I asked if this decision was final or if we could appeal for reconsideration.
“He told me he had decided, so there is no room for appeal or reconsideration.
“He informed me that all that remains with him are fond memories of Malaysia.
“Pan-gon’s role in Malaysian football is evident. I see the confidence Malaysians have in his efforts and the national team, Harimau Malaya, and this interest has been prominent from 2022 until now.
“We see stadiums full and many discussing Harimau Malaya’s ranking performance, so his contribution to football cannot be disputed.
“On behalf of the government, we thank Kim Pan-gon and wish him all the best for the future, and we thank his family for lending him to Malaysia from 2022 until now,” Hannah said during a press conference at the National Sports Council in Bukit Jalil today.
Hannah also hopes that FAM can move on from their sadness, manage the transition well, and continue to work on football development.
“From what we know, only Pan-gon himself is resigning, not his support team. So I believe FAM will manage this transition.
“FAM has their technical experts to determine who is suitable, and I think we should leave this task to the committee that will make the decision.
“But for the government, we want to work together to develop football because it is a popular sport in Malaysia.
“This happened suddenly, so I hope the Harimau Malaya squad is not disturbed in their efforts to improve their ranking,” Hannah added.
Pau Marti Vicente will take over as acting head coach of Harimau Malaya until his contract expires at the end of 2025.
Vicente will be supported by assistant head coach E. Elaravasan, as Pan-gon will be the only member leaving the coaching staff. – July 16, 2024