KUALA LUMPUR: A WhatsApp message at 1.05am summed up former Kedah Darul Aman FC (KDA FC) Under-23 coach Rosle Md Derus’ frustration.
“Kedah still hasn’t paid my salary; it’s been almost two years, and there’s only silence.”
Rosle, once at the heart of Malaysian football, is struggling during what should be a joyous Hari Raya period. Without income, he finds himself unable to pay his bills despite being part of Malaysia’s most popular sport.
In January 2025, Rosle told Twentytwo13 he was waiting for nine months of unpaid wages from KDA FC, amounting to over RM100,000. Despite a Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) directive that the club pay him or face registration bans, no payment came.
“Think hard before making a career out of football coaching in Malaysia,” he warned aspiring coaches. “I don’t know what to do. When I ask for my wages, there’s silence. Now they use the excuse that Tan Sri (Mohd Daud Bakar) was arrested.”
Daud, KDA FC’s owner, was charged in February with abetting unlicensed securities trading.
Rosle isn’t alone. KDA FC technical director Nelson San Martin, too, recently revealed his financial hardship after months of unpaid wages. Despite signing a new contract in November 2025, Martin said he had been abandoned without pay.
The Malaysian Super League promised professionalism, but wage issues persist. As Rosle waits, aspiring coaches should heed his advice: think hard before committing to Malaysian football coaching.
