Malaysia’s caretaker national football coach, Pau Marti Vicente, knows a credible performance in next month’s Asean Cup could be his pathway to securing a permanent contract.
The Spaniard was promoted from assistant to head coach following Kim Pan-gon’s abrupt departure on July 16. The South Korean coach has since taken charge of Ulsan Hyundai in his home country.
Since then, Vicente has been racking his brain to devise tactics for the regional tournament, likely without many of his top players from Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) and Selangor FC.
Both teams are competing in Asia-level tournaments – JDT in the Asian Champions League Elite and Selangor in the Asian Champions League 2 – and their matches overlap with the Asean Cup.
Unfortunately for Vicente and other managers, the Asean Cup falls outside Fifa’s designated calendar for international football, meaning clubs are not obliged to release players for the tournament.
Malaysia’s campaign begins on Dec 8, with an away match against Cambodia in Phnom Penh. Group A also includes Singapore, Thailand, and Timor Leste. Group B comprises Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
All teams will play two matches at home and two away during the group stages.
Football pundit Dez Corkhill said Malaysia’s and Vicente’s chances depends on the squad named today.
“Indonesia will be strong as they have players competing in the Dutch and Belgian leagues,” said Corkhill.
“The Philippines team is strong as well, with their European-based players released. Thailand’s squad has a lot of promise and good experience, so they’ll be tough opponents.
“Singapore will be able to field a fairly decent squad, but it shouldn’t be a problem for Malaysia to beat them at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.”
He added that he expects an exciting tournament. Asked about Malaysia’s chances, Corkhill said: “Malaysia should be able to reach the semifinals, but only because they are in the weaker group.
“I’d love to be proven wrong and see them go further.”
All eyes will be on Vicente and his ability to deliver a strong performance, which could determine whether he becomes the permanent head coach of Harimau Malaya.
Image: Facebook, Football Association of Malaysia.
