PETALING JAYA: It’s never easy to do double duty but old-hand E. Elavarasan is game for it.
The experienced local coach is unperturbed by his double role as the new head coach of the national Under-23 squad and Kim Pan-gon’s assistant with the Harimau Malaya.
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) yesterday named Elavarasan as Brad Maloney’s successor to guide the squad and confirmed that he would still be assisting the Korean, whom he had been deputising for since February this year.
On July 13, Maloney parted ways with the FAM on a mutual agreement after the team’s failure to win a medal and stumbling at the group stage of the Under-23 Asian Cup.
It’s a rare move to give one man to do the work of two people but the present situation could also be ideal as Elavarasan becomes the linkman to ensure Pan gon’s coaching philosophies are used by both squads and the transition of the Under-23 players to the senior side will be smooth.
Elavarasan said it was tough to handle the senior team and the Under-23 teams but he was grateful to the FAM for their trust in his ability.
“There is a difference in running the two squads. The most important thing in the senior team is to choose the best players (in the country) but the Under-23 have a bigger role to play,” said the 60-year-old Elavarasan.
“The Under-23 squad are important for the future of the senior squad. We have to identify talents (at Under-23 squad) and they can form the core of the seniors. It is a very challenging task.
“Remaining as the assistant to Pan-gon will be in line with the purpose of the Under-23 team being the feeders for the senior side.
“To achieve that, we have brought in experts from Europe and Korea to produce the best players for our senior team.”
Spaniard Juan Torres Garrido, youth coach with Spain’s second division outfit Granada, will be the assistant coach while South Koreans Park Ji-hyeon and Lee Je-yoon will be the team’s fitness coach and performance analyst respectively.
Another local trainer Kris Yong will be the goalkeeper’s coach for the Under-23 squad.
Elavarasan has been tasked with preparing the Under-23 squad for several important assignments - the Cambodia SEA Games, Hangzhou Asian Games and the Under-23 Asian Cup which also serves as the 2024 Paris Olympics qualifier – next year.
The immediate task for Elavarasan is to get in touch with the State Football Associations and seek their cooperation in releasing the Under-23 players for regular training camps prior to these competitions.
“We can have a comprehensive plan to prepare the players but we need to get the endorsements of the State FAs.
‘‘If they don’t release their players, we won’t be able to work effectively in preparing the squad,” added Elavarasan.
Elavarasan is looking forward to balancing his new role and existing position and believes the approach will help bring the desired results in the long run.