PETALING JAYA: National football team interim coach Tan Cheng Hoe (pic, below) is ready to continue leading the Harimau Malaya after a commendable third-place finish at the FIFA Asean Cup.
Cheng Hoe, who has been temporarily at the helm since June, said he would leave it to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to decide on his future after the 1-0 win over Vietnam.
“I leave it to FAM to decide my position, because for as long as I am able to, I will give my all to the national team,” said Cheng Hoe.
The Harimau Malaya ended their 12-year wait for a win over Vietnam thanks to Fergus Tierney’s solitary goal at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.
The last time Malaysia beat Vietnam was during the 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup when they won 4-2 in the semi-final.
Cheng Hoe credited the team’s ability to work as a unit with a shared goal in mind, adding that the mindset of the squad has been positive.
“Their success comes from the spirit of playing as one team, as a family that wants to win.
“We can see the players bonding with each other, and we’re not only focusing on things on the pitch, but as a team that have the same goals,” he said.
Malaysia also kept a clean sheet throughout the tournament after four matches, and with 10 goals scored.
Cheng Hoe said that while they can take pride in those statistics, there is more work to be done for the team’s future.
“We’re proud of our performance, but we must work harder. Because we don’t know what lies ahead of us, we need to be ready,” he said.
Cheng Hoe had previously held the head coach position from 2017 to 2021, after serving as assistant coach from 2009 to 2013.
