Change doesn't happen overnight - Pan Gon

KUALA LUMPUR: 'Rome was not built in a day'.

The idiom perhaps reflects the new Harimau Malaya head coach Kim Pan Gon's mission to apply his football philosophy into the minds of national players.

As for the fans, all they can do for the time being is to sit back, relax and enjoy what unfolds next for Harimau Malaya.

Speaking at his first press conference after being appointed the new national team gaffer yesterday, Pan Gon wanted more time if he were to change the national team's playing style to be more aggressive.

"I cannot change too much in short term. I have experience and if you give me time, I will do it for you," said the former South Korea Football Association national team director.

To achieve that, the ex-Hong Kong head coach stressed that he needs to first build a strong foundation and increase the physical strength of his new charges, in a bid for Harimau Malaya to be 'roaring' fiercely on the pitch.

In the meantime, Pan Gon, who is well aware of Football Association of Malaysia's (FAM) ambitious F:30 roadmap, said he will analyse all players before he handpicks a squad for his first biggest task - the 2023 Asian Cup Qualifiers in June.

F:30 is a project by FAM with the ultimate goal of placing Malaysia in the top five of Asia.

The project might be in sync with Pan Gon's vision to bring Malaysian football to the next level, beyond the confinements of South East Asia, by helping the national team to reach the World Cup finals for the first time ever in the near future.

The 52-year-old coach also heaped praises on his two other compatriots, Park Hang-seo who is currently managing Vietnam and Shin Tae-yong (Indonesia), as these two countries had performed well in the Southeast Asian region of late.

"I have high regards for them but I am who I am and will build my own football history here," he said.

He has yet to identify his local assistant coach, who will be announced soon as Pan Gon has four other 'brains' that he can rely on for now.

Of all four on Pan Gon's coaching team, Pau Marti Vicente stands out among local fans, as the latter is well versed in developing young players, especially during his time with the Spanish-based Barcelona B squad from 2018-2021, apart from being Pan Gon's right-hand man with the Hong Kong team from 2012-2013.

The other names include two other South Koreans, goalkeeping coach Cho Jun Ho and analyst Lim Jaehun as both had stints with South Korean-based Daegu FC as well as fitness trainer Dr Gokhan Kandemir, who has vast experience in the Turkish football league previously.

Meanwhile, FAM technical director, Scott O'Donnell said he looks forward to working with Pan Gon and company in the next couple of years.

"To win football games isn't easy and we will have to rely on everyone in the Malaysian football environment by working together to get something out of it," he said.

-- BERNAMA