Selangor FC interviews over 20 candidates to replace Nidzam; Cheng Hoe is not one of them

KUALA LUMPUR – Selangor FC has interviewed over 20 candidates in the last 72 hours to fill the head coach position left vacant by the sudden resignation of Nidzam Jamil.

However, contrary to recent speculations among football fans, Selangor has made it clear that its former employee, Tan Cheng Hoe, will not be making a return from his current role at Police Tero in the Thai League to rejoin the Red Giants.

For the record, Cheng Hoe was in charge of Selangor from 2022 until March this year, when he mutually terminated his contract with the club to pursue an international coaching career, with Nidzam subsequently taking over as his successor.

The former national head coach was recently speculated by fans to be in the running for the Selangor job after being spotted on several occasions in Malaysia, including being part of Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT)’s group photo with the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, following the Southern Tigers’ 3-0 victory over Ulsan Hyundai in the Asian Champions League Elite.

Aside from Cheng Hoe, renowned coaches such as Bojan Hodak, Park Hang Seo, and Kedah FC’s Nafuzi Zain have also been linked to the Selangor job.

For now, the Red Giants are being managed by interim coach Abdi Hassan.

Speaking to Scoop from Seoul, Selangor FA Deputy President Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar said that the club’s coaching and technical committee will announce the successor to Nidzam by the end of this month.

Shahril also said that the new coach is expected to have both Asian and European coaching experience.

“We have been working tirelessly over the past 72 hours, interviewing up to 20 candidates, and we have yet to finalise anyone. But one thing is for sure – Cheng Hoe is not on our radar, and we have no plans to make a U-turn by going after him.

“We are looking for a coach with experience at both Asian and European levels, someone capable of leading us to success.

“We are a big club, and we can’t afford to make hasty decisions. We need to be careful and evaluate the candidates thoroughly to ensure they align with our club’s vision.

“More than securing a big-name coach, we are mainly focusing on finding someone with strong technical abilities, good character, and leadership skills, as those are the qualities that matter most to us.

“We will continue reviewing all the resumes we have received, and we plan to make a formal announcement regarding the head coach we select for Selangor by the end of the month,” said Shahril when contacted.

Despite Selangor’s decent standing in the Super League, where the Red Giants are currently ranked second behind JDT, pressure began to mount on Nidzam following a heavy 6-1 defeat to the Southern Tigers in the FA Cup final in August.

The 45-year-old, who spent most of his professional playing career at Selangor from 1999 to 2004, suffered another defeat to JDT in the Super League last month, losing 3-0.

This led to fans launching social media campaigns, including the hashtag #NJout, calling for his departure.

Previously, Scoop reported Shahril denying that the backlash from fans influenced Nidzam’s sudden resignation, revealing that the coach had been contemplating stepping down for some time.

In addition to their Super League campaign, Selangor is currently top of Group H in the Asian Champions League 2 competition with seven points. – November 7, 2024