KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 — Kuala Lumpur United FC (KLUFC) are ready to fulfil all of Simon Elissetche’s needs if he is appointed as the new head coach of The City Boys squad.
KLUFC chief executive officer Stanley Bernard gave assurances that the management and board of directors will provide whatever is necessary for the Chilean coach to achieve the team’s targets for the upcoming season.
Although Elissetche was undergoing quarantine and his appointment has yet to be announced officially, the 43-year-old coach has been directly involved in the selection of KLUFC’s players.
“He is getting ready and during quarantine, he is going through what needs to be done for the team’s pre-season preparations. He was also involved with the selection of players.
“We are preparing the best team for him and personally, the board of directors, the management and I will do whatever we can to ensure he succeeds in his first season,” he told Bernama recently.
Elissetche, who arrived from Timor Leste last week, is expected to complete his mandatory quarantine on Wednesday before finalising his appointment as KLUFC’s head coach.
Stanley also said that Elissetche had the advantage of being able to converse and write in Bahasa Indonesia, which will make communication easier with the coaching staff and players.
“Communication is an advantage that Elissetche possesses because he can speak, write and discuss in Bahasa Indonesia, that is the most important thing to me because communication can fail even the best coaches,” he explained.
Stanely also said the presence of former KLUFC head coach Mohd Nidzam Adzha in the team for the upcoming season was very much needed.
Stanley said Mohd Nidzam, who will be KLUFC assistant head coach next season, is the second most important person after Elissetche.
Stanley also revealed that Elissetche and Mohd Nidzam had cooperated previously regarding the team’s lineup and pre-season planning for the upcoming season.
“The assistant head coach is very important to the head coach and Nidzam will play a big role. Elissetche is the one big change in the coaching staff and he is ready to work with Nidzam. They have been engaged in discussions since last month,” he said.
Mohd Nidzam was appointed to coach KLUFC early on in the 2020 season and guided the team to the Super League this coming season after finishing third in this season’s Premier League.
The former national player and Kedah head coach had to forgo his position as he did not possess a Pro A coaching licence as stipulated in the conditions set by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) for head coaches for the 2021 season. — Bernama
