SEA Games: Under-23 coach to call it quits?

SINGAPORE, June 5 — Under-23 coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee is uncomfortable being in charge of SEA Games squads.

Having coached Malaysia for the last three editions — Indonesia (2011), Myanmar (2013) and Singapore — Ong will be deciding his future soon.

“I will decide what’s next after the Brunei and Laos matches. But handling three SEA Games is enough,” he said.

It is no secret Ong was on the verge of joining Sabah early this year but was convinced to stay until the Games. A host of M-League sides are expected to be approaching him.

Malaysia is virtually out of the Games after losing 1-0 to Vietnam yesterday.

Malaysia lost to Thailand and Vietnam — both decisive matches that determines who takes the two semifinal spots in the next round as all three teams are favoured to collect maximum points against Laos, Timor-Leste and Brunei.

Ong was quick to compare how the team prepared for previous games. The FA of Malaysia (FAM) disbanded the team this year after deciding to play Razip Ismail’s Harimau Muda B in the S-League.

“You have to compare (this editions preparation and) how we prepared for the last two Games. Four years ago, the team went to Slovakia for a year. Two years ago we spent six months in Slovakia.

“Thailand today had players who won the AFF Cup. It was the same for Malaysia in 2011 as we had won the AFF Cup in 2010.

Ong made four changes to the starting line-up that lost 5-1 to Vietnam. Shahrul Saad, Syahrul Azwari Ibrahim, Nazirul Naim and Ariff Farhan Md Isa replaced Saiful Ridzuwan Selamat, Adam Nor Azlin, Fandi Othman and Syafiq Ahmad in the starting line up.

Gary Steven Robbat squandered Malaysia’s best chance when he chose to go on his own despite Syahrul Azwari Ibrahim being unmarked for a goal in the 15^th minute.

Thai skipper Saraach Yooyen sealed the win after being unmarked at the edge of the box in the 80^th minute.