Southeast Asia

SEA Headlines of the Week – 23rd December 2018

By: , December 23, 2018 8:36 pm
Credit – Kompas Bola

Catch up on the major headlines in South East Asia after the conclusion of the 2018 AFF Cup, with Football Tribe’s “Headlines Of The Week”

Indonesia

PSSI Appoint New Coaches For 2019 (Football Tribe)

After a disappointing AFF Cup campaign, the PSSI have moved to replace Indonesia head coach Bima Sakti from his position. The incumbent coach will take the reigns of the nation's U16 side, while highly rated Scottish coach Simon McMenemy is set to take his place after a successful spell with Liga 1 outfit Bhayangkara FC.

Vietnam

Nguyen Quang Hai Wins Golden Ball (Tuoitre News)

After a stellar year, 21-year-old midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai has won the prestigious Golden Ball award for the best player in Vietnam. This accolade comes after the Hanoi FC star led his side to domestic glory, and played a vital role in three excellent campaigns for his country in 2018. These include a run to the final of the AFC U23 Championships, qualification for the semi-finals of the Asian Games and lastly their second ever AFF Cup title.

Malaysia

Tan Cheng Hoe Awaits Contract Decision (Football Tribe)

After an impressive showing at the 2018 AFF Cup, Malaysia head coach Tan Cheng Hoe awaits an extension on his current contract. The FAM are set to announce the fate of all of their current coaches on December 31st, 2018, meaning that the former international will have to wait for confirmation. It is expected that the highly-rated coach will be allowed to continue his work with Harimau Malaya, which will give him the chance to take his young, budding squad through the qualifying round for the 2022 World Cup.

Thailand

Theerathon Joins Thailand's Asian Cup Squad (FA Thailand)

Theerathon Bunmathan joins Thailand’s training camp for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, alongside 3 other foreign-based players; Teerasil Dangda, Chanathip Songkrasin and Kawin Thamsatchanan Reflecting on Thailand’s AFF Suzuki Cup failure and Asian Cup’s target, the Vissel Kobe defender said; "personally, I’m always motivated and hungry every time I represent the nation. I must admit I’m disappointed the team got knocked out of the SEA championship but I couldn't do anything. This is football. Anything is possible. Now, as a professional, I believe everyone already forgot about that disappointment and are fully focused on [next year Asian cup]. Most importantly, no matter who is selected, I believe we are more than 100% motivated for sure.”