KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 ― Newly-minted national head coach Nelo Vingada needs some time to prove his ability in managing the "Harimau Malaya”, says Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

He is also confident the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has considered all options before making the final decision.

"They (FAM) would also have taken into account the background of all the coaches before coming to a conclusion,” he told reporters during a session to meet the national badminton squad here today, ahead of their trip to Australia for the Sudirman Cup.

Khairy said the new coach should be given some space to 'settle down' first, and then prove that he was the right choice.

Yesterday, FAM in a statement announced the appointment of Nelo Vingada, 64, as the new head coach of the national football team.

Vingada, who is expected to arrive in Malaysia on May 25, will begin his job to prepare for the 2019 Asian Cup qualifiers against North Korea in Pyongyang on June 8.

The Portugese coach who is also nicknamed "The Professor”, has vast experience as assistant coach to Carlos Queiroz with Portugal's under-20 squad (U-20), who played in the World Cup in 1989 and 1991.

In over 35 years of his career as coach, he has also managed the national team of Saudi Arabia (1996/97), Egypt's Olympic squad (2004/05), Jordan's national team (2007/09) and the Iranian Olympic squad (2014).

He has also excelled at club-level football by coaching Egypt's premier club Zamalek FC and helping FC Seoul of South Korea win the domestic title.

His last stint as coach was with Indian Super League club North East United FC.

Vingada takes over from Datuk Ong Kim Swee to steer the Harimau Malaya, after the latter was directed to lead the U-22 squad in March. ― Bernama