Sathianathan has high hopes for S’wak
KUCHING: Sarawak United FC technical director B. Sathianathan is confident that Sarawak has the ability to produce many quality footballers with the right development programmes.
The former national coach also opined that with Sarawak being the largest state in the country, the state has what it takes to be great again.
“Before coming to Sarawak, I read a lot about Sarawak football, they were once the finest in the land and I believe it can one day become a force again if we work hard,” he added at a press conference yesterday, believed to be his first meeting with the local press since being appointed as technical director last year.
Sathianathan admitted he faces a tough task carrying out
the role, but was keen to take on the new challenges presented to him in the Land of Hornbills.
He said that the club represent the whole of Sarawak, thus the development programmes that he had planned must cover the whole state as well.
“As technical director, I should also focus on the development because I have the knowledge and I have the experience.
“I am not new in doing this job and I know what is needed to be done,” he said.
The 62-years-old is well known to many Sarawakians as the national coach from 2007 to 2009. He won the Best Coach at the National Football Awards in 2010, 2012 and 2017.
“My biggest challenge would be to create the best facilities for the state’s football development programme for Sarawak,” he said when appointed last year.
Among his achievement are guiding Kelantan (now Kelantan FC) to Malaysia Cup victory in 2010 and helping Armed Forces and Felda United teams to be promoted to the Super League by emerging Premier League champions in 2012 and 2018 respectively.