Desailly eager to coach Malaysia

Tottenham Hotspur manager Andre Villas-Boas (right) and former French football team captain Marcel Desailly at a football clinic at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

KUALA LUMPUR: Former France World Cup captain Marcel Desailly is ready and willing to coach the national football team.

On Wednesday, he said it was left to the Football Assocaition of Malaysia (FAM) to make a decision on whether to hire him as their chief coach.

“I have already informed them of my availability and left it to the people in charge (of the game in Malaysia) to decide a couple of months ago.

“I have already got my coaching badge and bring with me all my knowledge of the game and coaching philosophy,” he said at the naming of the nominees for the Laureus World Sports Awards at a leading hotel here.

The national coach’s job remains open after the leading shortlisted candidate, Philippe Troussier, failed to come to an agreement with FAM last month.

The position became vacant when FAM did not renew the contract of Datuk K. Rajagopal in December.

Besides Troussier and Desailly the other shortlisted candidates are Roma manager Zdenek Zeman and Englishman Bob Houghton.

The national team is currently handled by caretaker coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee.

Desailly added that he has an idea what needs to be done for Malaysian football and he will be able to handle the task if given the chance.

“Football is football anywhere, it is a universally-accepted game. So there is no issue coaching in any part of the world. It is all about mastering the skills and teaching the right basics and ensuring a good development structure,” he added.