His Royal Highness Crown Prince Tunku Ismail, the Regent of Johor, has set forth the essential qualifications required for the next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Malaysian national football team, Harimau Malaya.
This announcement comes at a time of transformative changes within the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), which recently appointed Peter Cklamovski as the head coach of Harimau Malaya and Nafuzi Zain as the Malaysia U-23 head coach.
HRH Tunku Ismail, renowned for his role in revolutionizing Malaysian football through Johor Darul Ta’zim’s (JDT) unprecedented success, emphasized the importance of visionary leadership in the national team setup. In a statement on social media, he detailed the qualifications needed for the CEO to elevate Harimau Malaya to new heights.
“The CEO of the Malaysian national team must be someone who understands football and knows what the sport is professionally so he can relate to the technical, commercial, and interpersonal aspects of football,” HRH Tunku Ismail stated.
The ideal candidate must possess robust ties with influential figures in the global football industry, enabling strategic partnerships and fostering international collaborations.
Beyond experience as a player, the CEO must be an entrepreneur capable of driving Harimau Malaya’s commercial interests. This blend of expertise ensures both on-field success and off-field sustainability.
The CEO should actively guide league policies to indirectly enhance the national team’s performance. “A strong league with more well-managed teams will lift the standards of Malaysian football,” HRH Tunku Ismail added, emphasizing the interconnectedness of domestic league quality and national team success.
The recent appointments of Cklamovski and Nafuzi Zain underline FAM’s commitment to a footballing revolution in Malaysia. HRH Tunku Ismail’s outlined vision for the CEO role complements these coaching appointments, ensuring a holistic approach to the nation’s football development.
HRH Tunku Ismail confirmed that the selection process for the new CEO is in its final stages. The forthcoming appointment is anticipated to play a transformative role, aligning Harimau Malaya’s immediate objectives with the long-term goal of making Malaysian football globally competitive.
Credit Photo : HRH Crown Prince of Johor
