WAN ROHAIMI TAKES CHARGE OF PANTHERS 

GEORGE TOWN, Nov 14 (Bernama) -- Former national striker Wan Rohaimi Wan Ismail has been appointed as the new head coach of Penang FC, ending speculation about the vacancy left by Akmal Rizal Ahmad Rakhli, who had been sidelined for the past few weeks.

Penang FC Chairman Daniel Gooi Zi Sen said that Wan Rohaimi will take charge of the Panthers in their Super League campaign until the end of the 2024/2025 season.

He expressed confidence that the 48-year-old coach’s extensive experience in local football will elevate Penang FC’s performance and standing in the league.

"Under Wan Rohaimi's leadership, Penang FC  are expected to adopt a play style emphasising ball possession. He is known for fostering strategic thinking among players and prioritising physical fitness, aligning with the goal of building a strong and competitive team.

"With this appointment, Penang FCare confident that Wan Rohaimi will bring new vision and strategies that will strengthen the team and improve Penang FC's position in the Super League," Gooi said at a press conference to announce the new coach at Komtar here today. Also present were Penang FC General Manager Jeffrey Chew and Technical Director Merzagua Abderrazak.

Gooi added that the club is open to extending Wan Rohaimi’s contract if he meets the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) set by the management and also called for fan support to boost the team’s morale under the new coach.

Regarding Akmal Rizal's status, Gooi said  that Akmal is now assisting in coaching the Penang FC Under-23 team as he remains under contract until the end of the season.

Meanwhile, Wan Rohaimi expressed his deep connection to Penang, having played for Penang FC in 2003 and coached the Under-21 team in 2020 and thus this background made it an easy decision to accept the offer to lead the Panthers.

Despite acknowledging the significant challenge of shaping the team, the former national striker is confident that his knowledge and experience will bring positive changes.

"Penang FC have the potential... I have closely followed the team’s progress. It’s just that perhaps the players have yet to show their true quality, and my task is to uncover that missing quality.

"I have a week before my first match, which is the Malaysia Cup meeting against Kuching City FC on Nov 21, and I hope to have ample training sessions with the team to implement my playing style," said Wan Rohaimi, who previously coached PDRM FC.

With 15 years of experience as a professional player, Wan Rohaimi has played for major clubs in Malaysia and represented the national team in international tournaments, including the SEA Games, World Cup qualifiers, and the Tiger Cup.

Following his playing career, the Kelantan native ventured into coaching, leading teams such as Tumpat FA, the National Football Development Programme (NFDP) team, the Perlis Under-19 team, and the Penang FC Under-21 squad. He also served as assistant head coach of KL City FC in the Super League.

Penang FC's management had decided to sideline Akmal Rizal after an Oct 21 meeting due to the team’s underwhelming performance, with Penang FC currently in 11th place in the league, earning 11 points from 14 matches.

-- BERNAMA