KUALA LUMPUR: Football development expert Tom Byer has warned Malaysia against relying on high-profile coaching appointments, saying long-term youth development is key to building a stronger national team.
His comments follow reports linking Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu to the Harimau Malaya job, although the FA of Malaysia (FAM) has not confirmed any approach or appointment.
Byer, known for his work in grassroots football, said a new coach might bring short-term results but will not address deeper structural issues.
"When Malaysia, Indonesia, and other nations finally realise that changing a national team coach might change the outcome of a tournament, but implementing a genuine youth development strategy can change an entire generation of players, they will be heading in the right direction," he wrote on LinkedIn.
He also questioned whether hiring a Japanese coach to manage local and heritage players through multiple translators would work.
"Believing that the problem is simply coaching, and that bringing in a Japanese coach to work with heritage and local players through multiple translators is the solution, demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of what it takes to achieve high performance in football," he said.
FAM is reviewing its options after Malaysia placed third in this year's FIFA Asean Cup, defeating Vietnam 1-0 in the bronze-medal match.
Moriyasu, who led Japan at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is under contract with the Japan FA until after next year's Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, with Go Oiwa to succeed him after the tournament.
Speculation has also raised questions over the cost of hiring a high-profile coach.
Football agent Effendi Jagan Abdullah estimated monthly salaries for top Japanese coaches at US$30,000 (RM122,440) to US$60,000, though Moriyasu's personal demands remain unconfirmed.
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