KUALA LUMPUR: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) described new national Under-23 head coach Juan Torres Garrido as the best man to guide the squad at the moment.
FAM president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin said Garrido was chosen because the Spaniard understood the ins and outs of Harimau Muda since he previously served with former head coach E. Elavarasan as his assistant.
“You put anyone (else there), we won’t know if he can perform but Garrido is the best option we have and he has been with Elavarasan’s coaching system before.
“I hope Harimau Muda will develop better to be like Harimau Malaya at the moment,” he said at a press conference after welcoming former national football legend Khalid Ali in the Ziarah Kasih programme here today.
Also present at the programme in conjunction with the 2023 Merdeka Unity Carnival were the secretary-general of the Ministry of National Unity Datuk Azman Mohd Yusof and chairman of the National Athletes Welfare Foundation (Yakeb) Datuk Noorul Ariffin Abdul Majeed.
Hamidin said he was scheduled to meet with Garrido to further discuss plans to implement for Harimau Muda next week.
The appointment of the 43-year-old former head of professional youth football Under-23 Granada CF in Spain was made after Elavarasan gave up the task of guiding Harimau Muda and returned to focus on the Harimau Malaya squad as assistant head coach last September.
Meanwhile, Khalid, who has stage four lung cancer, said he has been fighting the disease since last April even though he sometimes feels weak.
“I am asking for everyone’s prayers (for recovery) and God-willing I will overcome it well,” said the 66-year-old former Harimau Malaya midfielder.
Khalid, who was one of the key players when Malaysia qualified for the 1980 Moscow Olympics, expressed his gratitude for the support and contribution given by FAM, the Ministry of National Unity and Yakeb today.
In the meantime, Azman said the programme was organised to commemorate the services of national football legends who have brought the name of Malaysia to the world stage as well as being a symbol of national unity.
Yakeb’s Noorul Ariffin, who is excited to be able to work for the first time with FAM to visit former national footballers, hopes that the relationship between the two parties will flourish. - Bernama
