Kim Swee to remain with U-22 side
DESPITE attractive offers from clubs in Indonesia and Thailand, Ong Kim Swee is expected to extend his contract as the national youth coach with the FA of Malaysia (FAM).
It is learnt that Kim Swee, who guided Malaysia to the final of last month’s Kuala Lumpur Sea Games, has been in contact with FAM’s top officials, including president Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, over the possibility of extending his contract.
Negotiations are still ongoing, but Kim Swee, who has always put the national senior and youth assignments ahead of other things, will likely continue to handle the teams for next year’s AFC Under-23 Championship in China and Indonesia Asian Games.
Kim Swee’s current contract expires on Dec 31.
It is understood that FAM will finalise contract issues with Kim Swee soon and an official announcement will be made before the end of the month.
It was reported that four Indonesia Super League sides were in talks with Kim Swee and that they had offered him attractive packages.
Jakarta-based clubs Bhayangkara FC, PS TNI and Persija Jakarta along with Kalimantan’s Mitra Kukar are said to be keen on the 47-year-old coach.
Under Kim Swee, Malaysia not only achieved a significant first by qualifying for next year’s AFC Under-23 Championship in China, but also won the Sea Games silver medal.
Credit must be given to Kim Swee who only took over the national youth team in March from German Frank Bernhardt.
Kim Swee’s masterstroke in strategies and formations were the key to his team’s successes.
Kim Swee and his coaching staff did what others wouldn’t do to identify talents. He went right down to the third-tier FAM Cup to look for players rather than only focusing on talents in the Super League and Premier League.
As it turned out, FAM Cup’s Felcra FC’s defender Adib Zainudin and forward N. Thanabalan were the stars of Kim Swee’s teams in both the AFC Under-23 qualifiers and the Sea Games.