KUALA LUMPUR – Terengganu FC (TFC) head coach Mohd Nafuzi Mohd Zain is ready to consider becoming the national football team’s assistant head coach but, until such an offer is actually tabled, he intends to give his full commitment to guiding the Turtles.
Mohd Nafuzi, who is among several individuals linked to the post, described the opportunity to join the Harimau Malaya coaching line-up as an honour and the dream of every coach.
But, for now, the 43-year-old is committed to guiding the Turtles in the 2022 Malaysia League (M-League).
In fact, it is because of his strong commitment to TFC that he did not even submit an application to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to become an assistant to newly-appointed Harimau Malaya head coach Kim Pan-gon of South Korea.
“I have never applied because my focus is on TFC and I also have not received an offer from FAM for the post. I feel that I may consider it if there is an offer,” he said when contacted by Bernama.
Besides Mohd Nafuzi, some of the other names linked to the post of Pan-gon’s assistant are former Melaka United coach Zainal Abidin Hassan, Sarawak United’s E. Elavarasan, Selangor FC assistant chief coach Mohd Nidzam Jamil and Penang FC assistant head coach Manzoor Azwira Abdul Wahid.
Elaborating, Mohd Nafuzi said he did not expect his name to be thrown into the mix for the Harimau Malaya assistant head coach post as there “are many others who are more qualified”.
“I am more shocked than happy as I did not expect to be linked to the post because there are more experienced coaches in Malaysia... I am still a newbie in the M-League. Now, I am just looking to gain experience and learn the ropes, so that when the time comes I will be ready,” he said.
Mohd Nafuzi, who is a former Terengganu midfielder, was confirmed as TFC head coach at the end of the 2019 season after serving in an acting capacity for five months following the resignation of Irfan Bakti Abu Salim.
He started out as Terengganu’s President’s Cup coach in 2016 before being appointed as Irfan Bakti’s number two in 2017 and the duo guided the Turtles to emerge as Malaysia Cup runners-up in 2018.
Under Mohd Nafuzi’s guidance, TFC ended the 2020 and 2021 Super League season in third and fourth spots respectively and they also qualified for the Malaysia Cup semi-finals last season.
FAM are currently looking at 10 local candidates, including one “big name” coach, to serve as assistant to Pan-gon. – Bernama, February 7, 2022
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