VINGADA STEPS DOWN DUE TO BAD RESULTS
National coach steps down with disastrous record
NELO Vingada quit as national coach yesterday to take responsibility for the recent poor performances of the national team.
The Portuguese leaves after just over five months in charge following Vingada’s announcement of his departure in a statement released by the FA of Malaysia.
"After discussions with the president of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, I take responsibility for the performance of the national team," said Vingada, who failed to win any of the seven matches he was in charge.
"With this sense of responsibility, I hereby relinquish my position as national head coach with immediate effect and Tunku President himself has also accepted my decision.
"I would also like to inform that my two assistants that I brought along, Joao Arnaldo Correia De Carvalho and Francisco Jose Bruto Da Costa, have also resigned from their respective positions as national assistant coach and national fitness coach respectively.
"Finally, I like to take this opportunity to hope and pray for Malaysian football to shine again and that I was proud to be part of Malaysian football in this relatively short period of time."
Vingada's five-month stint is the shortest reign of any national coach of Malaysia, excluding those appointed on ad-hoc or in a caretaker capacity, after making the worst start in the job in 30 years.
He was appointed to the job in June, after Tunku Ismail became FAM president, to replace Ong Kim Swee, who returned to his previous role as national youth coach.
Vingaada leaves with Malaysia mired at 174th in the latest Fifa rankings, the lowest in the country's history, while FAM general secretary Datuk Hamidin Amin said a replacement will be announced next year.
“FAM would like to thank him for his contributions and service and we wish Vingada all the best for his career in the future,” said Hamidin.
“Our two local coaches, Tan Cheng Hoe and Azmin Azram Abdul Aziz will remain in their position as assistant coach and goalkeeper coach of the national squad respectively.
“The future plans and development of the national squad for 2018 will be announced by FAM or Tunku President in the near future.”
Malaysia only managed a draw against Hong Kong in September while losing six other matches under Vingada, including backto-back 4-1 defeats to North Korea in Buriram, Thailand last month that led to severe criticism of his selection policy.
The run of poor results saw Malaysia eliminated from contention in the 2019 Asian Cup qualifying campaign, sitting bottom of Group B with just one point.
Malaysia still have one match left to play against Lebanon in March wrap up the disastrous campaign.