Malaysia needs the best coaches, not just local ones, say football veterans

SHAH ALAM – Malaysia should focus on appointing coaches capable of raising the national team's standards, even if they come from overseas, football veterans say, arguing that fresh ideas and greater coaching autonomy are key to improving the country's performance on the international stage.

Former Football Coaches Association of Malaysia (FCAM) vice-president Datuk Richard Scully said Malaysia must adopt a more pragmatic approach when selecting national team coaches if it hopes to compete at a higher level.

He pointed out that many successful national teams have turned to foreign coaches because they bring fresh ideas and different football philosophies.

"We look at the World Cup. We make a statistics study. Not all the country has appointed their home base coach. It's all Argentinian, Spanish.

"Why? Because they believe a change in football DNA is relevant if you want to compete at a higher level," he said during Sinar Daily's Sports Matters: Football Fever podcast.

Scully emphasised that appointing foreign coaches should not be viewed as sidelining local talent, but rather as an opportunity to develop the next generation of Malaysian coaches.

"They are not here to take over our jobs. They are here to teach us. Every foreign coach should help groom local coaches so that when they leave, we have capable people who can continue the football DNA they introduced."

Former Perak FC general manager Neow Choo Seong said that one advantage of appointing foreign coaches is their ability to work independently of local pressures.

"That's one of the reasons why foreign coaches are appointed. They are less likely to be influenced by local culture and that is a very important element," he said.

Neow said cultural attitudes can sometimes blur the line between advice and instruction, making it harder for coaches to exercise their professional judgement.

"In professional football, you must respect the coach. You must give him the freedom to decide, plan and develop the team. But in our culture, opinions can sometimes be taken as instructions. That holds us back."

He said changing this mindset would take time, but greater awareness of the importance of professional independence is necessary if Malaysian football is to progress.

Their remarks came in response to questions about South Korea's ongoing investigation into allegations that cronyism influenced the appointment of its national football coach following the country's worst-ever World Cup finish and whether similar issues could arise in Malaysia.