PETALING JAYA: Robert Douglas Friend, also known as Rob Friend from Canada, has been announced as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the national football team.
He will serve as the key leader in the new organizational structure aimed at revolutionizing the Harimau Malaya squad.
Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) announced Australian Peter Cklamovski as the national head coach while Nafuzi Zain was named head coach of the national Under-23 team effective today.
Friend, a former player who played as a striker, has an impressive playing career. He has represented clubs such as Moss FC and Molde FK in Norway; Borussia Monchengladbach, Hertha Berlin, Eintracht Frankfurt and 1860 Munich in Germany; and LA Galaxy in the United States in 2014.
At the international level, he earned 32 caps for the Canadian national team, starting in 2003 at the age of 22 and ending in 2011 at the age of 30.
Hailing from Rosetown, Saskatchewan, Canada, Friend, who will turn 44 on January 23, brings an outstanding portfolio of football management and administration experience since retiring as a player in Dec 2014.
One of his most significant achievements was co-founding the Canadian Premier League (CPL), a professional football league in Canada. Under his leadership, the league’s valuation grew from USD 0 to USD300 (RM1.339) million within six years.
He will officially commence his duties at Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya in January 2025.
