KUALA LUMPUR — It seems that Nidzam Jamil is heading north following his sudden resignation from Selangor FC, with speculation suggesting he may join Penang FC to replace Akmal Rizal.
It is understood that Nidzam has already had several discussions with the northern side, who are currently ranked 11th in the Super League.
The 45-year-old coach, who has a solid track record in managing young players from his previous stints at Malaysian University and Felda United, is the favorite to take on the role.
Currently, Penang is being guided by interim head coach Mat Saiful Mohamad and club technical director Merzagua Abderrazak, following Akmal’s departure after a string of poor results in the Super League.
Speaking to Scoop on the condition of anonymity, a source revealed that players in the Penang dressing room are excited at the prospect of Nidzam joining the team and are ready to give their all for their new head coach if the deal is finalised.
“The players love Nidzam’s style of coaching, and they would be happy if he were to get the job at Penang. Nidzam has an excellent track record in managing young players, and Penang’s squad is mainly composed of younger talents who need someone they can trust and be guided by.
“Nidzam is also the right person to make the club competitive, as he grants a lot of freedom to both attackers and midfielders. The fans want to see Penang scoring goals in the Super League, and he is the right person to make that happen, as he already demonstrated with the players he had at Selangor this season.
“I hope the management will fulfill the wishes of both the fans and the players, as Nidzam is the coach they all want. It would be great if they could secure him as soon as possible before he considers other options,” said the source when contacted.
According to the source, this comes after Penang management interviewed a total of six candidates for the position over the past week.
Nidzam took over the Selangor reins from former head coach Tan Cheng Hoe in March this year. Despite Selangor’s decent standing in the Super League, where the Red Giants are currently ranked second behind Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), pressure began to mount on him following a heavy 6-1 defeat to the Southern Tigers in the FA Cup final in August.
Nidzam, who spent most of his professional playing career at Selangor from 1999 to 2004, endured another defeat to JDT in the Super League last month, losing the match 3-0. This led to fans creating social media hashtags #NJout, calling for his departure. – November 7, 2024