KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 — New Sabah FC coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee feels that there is not much difference between being a technical director and head coach as both duties involve planning for and preparing the team in the best way possible.
“So, all the planning that I’ve done as technical director (of the Football Association of Malaysia) might come in handy… more so since now I have to plan and pay attention to the (Sabah) team only,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.
On September 10, Sabah FC announced Kim Swee as their new coach, replacing Indonesian Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto, who has been “rested” following the team’s dismal ninth placing in the recently-concluded Super League season.
Kim Swee, 50, had earlier resigned from the position of technical director of the FAM, which he had held since January 1, and will join up with the Rhinos as head coach effective October 1.
“When I join Sabah FC, surely I want to do my best and succeed. If I can do that, it will mean my coaching career will be complete as I would not only have enjoyed (coaching) success with the national team but with a club side as well,” he said.
Kim Swee, who hails from Melaka, began his coaching career with his home state before joining FAM in 2007. In his 14-year career with the national body, he has held various posts, among them as head coach of the national Under-16, Under-17, Harimau Muda, Under-22 and national senior squads.
During his coaching stint with FAM, he led the various national squads to victory in the 2007 Youth Cup, 2009 Premier League, 2011 SEA Games and 2013 Merdeka Tournament.
However, he does seem to have an affinity with Sabah, having won the FA Cup in 1995 and Premier League in 1996 with the state as a player.
With the 2021 Malaysia Cup starting on Sunday, he will have to get his team to hit the ground running if he hopes to get his hands on a trophy as head coach of Sabah FC.
Sabah FC, who have never won the Malaysia Cup, are drawn in Group D with Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), Petaling Jaya City FC and a Premier League team to be determined soon.
The best Sabah FC have done in the Malaysia Cup was finishing as runners-up three times — in 1996, 2002 and 2003.
Meanwhile, Kim Swee said that he did not go behind FAM in accepting the offer to coach Sabah FC, adding that he actually set a condition that he would only leave with the approval of FAM president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin.
“I know football takes us everywhere and allows us to get to know many people from the sport, both at the Asian and world level. But FAM has made me the person I am now, so I can’t do things behind their back,” he said in refuting allegations that his decision to join Sabah FC was due to some internal conflict in the FAM.
Kim Swee also explained that his decision in accepting Sabah FC’s offer was not about wanting to prove his capabilities after being shown the exit when the National Under-22 squad that he was in charge of performed badly in the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines.
“If we want to compare with 2019, that was the national team… now I am with a club side and we are not competing at the international level,” he said. — Bernama
