SEPANG, Dec 16 — There is a very good chance that Tan Cheng Hoe will be retained as head coach of the national football team.

Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) deputy president Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mahadi hinted as much when he said that Cheng Hoe had met the key performance index (KPI) set for him, which was to take the team to the AFF Suzuki Cup final this year.

Cheng Hoe’s contract as Harimau Malaya chief coach ends on Dec 31.

"The national team management committee meeting, expected to be held in early January, will decide on his fate.

"We will evaluate the overall result achieved by Cheng Hoe...apart from discussing how to improve the team’s performance.

"It’s not just about extending his contract. What’s important is to correct the team’s weaknesses,” he told reporters after arriving at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang today.

Mohd Yusoff was the team manager of the national team, who returned from Hanoi after losing 0-1 to Vietnam in the second-leg of the final at the My Dinh Stadium on Saturday. Malaysia lost the final 2-3 on aggregate.

Despite the defeat, about 300 fans turned up at the airport to welcome the Harimau Malaya squad home.

Mohd Yusoff said this showed that the fans appreciated the efforts put in by the players.

Malaysia last won the Cup in 2010. — Bernama