KUALA LUMPUR − The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) have started implementing improvements as suggested by the Harimau Malaya independent investigation body on January 21.
Based on the updates from FAM’s technical committee, FAM technical director Scott O’Donell said the target for the national team could only be set after discussions have been had with all the relevant parties, such as the coach, technical director and FAM executive committee members.
FAM have also created a high-performance team comprising a physiologist, pyschologist and a nutritionist as an addition to the existing support staff with Reuben Jude Balraj as the high-performance manager.
“Among the duties of the high-performance manager is to compile test results, prepare match analysis, injury reports and so on to be used as a comparison and also for future planning,” he said in a statement today.
FAM have also set a minimum period of preparation for the two FIFA windows this year, which is seven days this month to get ready for the two international friendlies in the FAS Tri-Nations Series 2022 against the Philippines and Singapore beginning today.
As for the final round of the 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers in June, FAM have set aside eight days for head coach Kim Pan-Gon to prepare the squad.
“FAM will work closely with the MFL (Malaysian Football League) in ensuring a longer period for preparation,” said O’Donell.
Meanwhile, he said that Pan-Gon would also take on the role of team manager − just like how Nelo Vingada was the national team head coach and team manager in 2017.
He said FAM would also finalise the template for the national team report after discussing with the national team staff.
O’Donell also plans to expand the SupaRimau League, which is meant for boys and girls aged between six and 16.
“Right now, it is held in six states − Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Putrajaya. The second season of this league will involve four more states − Melaka, Kedah, Sabah and Pahang,” he said.
The Harimau Malaya independent investigation body − headed by Datuk Dell Akbar Khan, had outlined ten findings that led to the national side crashing out in the group stage of the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Cup 2020 in Singapore at the end of last year.
Dell also outlined ten improvement suggestions for FAM’s consideration so as to avoid a recurrence of such a debacle, including setting a minimum centralised training period of 14 days for the AFF Cup, preparing a reporting template that is more comprehensive, setting contingency plans to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuring the MFL coordinate their league schedule with that of the national team.
The independent investigation body also proposed the setting up of a high-performance team comprising technical, science and sports medicine staff, analysts as well as statistics officials as practised by foreign teams to raise the team’s performance level in a more structured and evidence-based manner. – Bernama, March 23, 2022
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