POLL: MANY FANS WANT VINGADA OUT
Majority of fans in NSTP Sport poll want FAM to sack national coach
THE Italians have reacted, swiftly and ruthlessly, duly sacking coach Gian Piero Ventura earlier this week after the Azzurri failed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1958 following a 1-0 aggregate play-off defeat to Sweden.
At about the same time, Malaysia’s national coach Nelo Vingada has come under fire from fans and former international players after Malaysia were outplayed twice (4-1 on both occasions) by North Korea in the Asian Cup qualifiers in Buriram, Thailand.
Vingada has made the worst start of any of Malaysia’s national coaches, after seven international matches, over the past 30 years.
He has overseen two draws and five defeats since taking up his appointment in June.
NSTP sport has run a readers poll on whether the FA of Malaysia (FAM) should sack Vingada or let him continue. The Portuguese, who replaced Ong Kim Swee as national coach, signed a two-year contract with FAM in May.
Vingada has not scored well with NSTP readers. Sixty-one per cent of the 1,100 football fans polled, said “Yes” (he should be sacked). Thirty-nine per cent said “No” (he should not be sacked).
Former TV pundit and ex-national player Serbegeth Singh said Vingada should be sacked right away while football legend Datuk Santokh Singh has urged the coach to resign as a form of apology to Malaysian fans.
But there are others who empathised with Vingada’s situation, considering the low quality of the national players. Football legend Jamail Nasir said even Alex Ferguson would faint if he had to coach the Malaysian team.
Many critics claim that bringing the world’s best coach here won’t help improve the standards of the national team.
Former international Bakri Ibni feels that FAM should rely on a local coach instead of a foreigner as he would be more familiar with the local players and thus can communicate better.
Bakri said, Vingada as professional with a sense of accountability, should offer his resignation instead of waiting for FAM to wield the axe and hope for compensation.