KUALA LUMPUR: Football critic Zakaria Rahim has called for the dissolution of the Malaysia National Team (NT) unit, describing the current management setup as overpaid and obsolete following recent results.
The Malaysia NT unit currently oversees the Harimau Malaya senior team and the Under-23 squad.
"After the match against Vietnam on March 31 in the Asian Cup qualifiers, the Malaysia NT is basically useless," Zakaria told Timesport.
"There are no more big games. People like the CEO, Rob Friend, and others with high salaries are no longer needed. Return Harimau Malaya to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), which will have new faces."
Zakaria's criticism extends beyond pitch results to the team's administrative structure.
Friend, a Canadian, is reportedly difficult to reach, does not stay in the country full-time, and has failed to provide clear leadership.
Deputy CEO Stanley Bernard is also largely absent from public discussion, leaving head coach Peter Cklamovski to answer for issues outside his control.
When crises occur, accountability frequently falls on the coach while upper management remains invisible, a setup Zakaria views as dysfunctional.
Early last year, the Malaysia NT began operating outside FAM's direct oversight.
However, recent administrative errors have been traced back to the association, suggesting that structural changes alone have not guaranteed smooth operations.
"We have the Asean Championship in July. There is no need to spend big while FAM is in 'reset' mode and working to restore trust from sponsors and the public," said Zakaria.
"We need to be realistic. We spent a lot because we needed to prepare a strong team for the 2027 Asian Cup. That's done.
"Now, the focus should be on developing young players for the 2030 World Cup qualifiers and the 2031 Asian Cup qualifiers, which begin in two years."
Zakaria said funds should be redirected to youth development, arguing that since the senior team has no major competitions beyond the Asean Championship, the "overstaffed and overpaid" unit should be disbanded. - NST
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