Southeast Asia Malaysia

Sathia Given “Das Boot” Following JDT Humiliation

Following Saturday’s humiliating 6-1 defeat away at Liga Super Malaysia leaders Johor Darul Ta’zim, Selangor FA head coach B. Sathianathan was given the axe, being relieved of his duties with three games remaining in the season. Selangor fans had been crying for Sathianathan’s head since the JDT humiliation and the club’s higher-ups have acted quickly to fulfill those wishes.

Following a meeting with FA Selangor president Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris and FA Selangor deputy president Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar on Monday morning, Sathianathan was officially sacked from his position as Selangor’s head coach with his contract being terminated with immediate effect – the price that the 62-year old must pay for that shambolic performance at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Saturday.

Sathianathan had already warned his team to be wary of JDT’s potent attacking power following the Southern Tigers’ demolition of Perak FA earlier in September, advising his men to dig deeper and avoid a heavy defeat in Iskandar Puteri. However, Sathianathan’s words fell into deaf ears and Selangor found themselves being pounded mercilessly by JDT when they pay the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium a visit.

“I was terminated, so I have to leave the team and it’s because of the performance, with the heavy defeat to JDT. And they say the team are not playing to expectation,” Sathianathan told The New Strait Times on Monday, “They told me about my termination in person at around 10am in the morning and I didn’t even get to say goodbye to the team. There’s training in the evening and someone has to take over…and I don’t want to know who’s that person is.”

“I respect their decision, wish them good luck, and since the next three games would be easy, I think that Selangor has a chance to finish in either the top two or top three if they get all nine points. Whoever is taking over at Selangor have to make sure that they will get those points because after this is the Malaysia Cup. Good luck to them.”

Former FELDA United head coach Sathianathan then told The New Strait Times that he will take a brief hiatus before readying himself for any offers from other clubs.

Announcing Sathianathan’s departure on their social media channels on Monday, FA Selangor have also stated that the person replacing Sathianathan in a temporary basis will be technical director Michael Feichtenbeiner, who is also the head coach of Selangor II in the Liga Premier Malaysia. Interestingly, or rather ironically, Michael’s Selangor II side also suffered a 6-1 defeat in their last Liga Premier match, at the hands of Johor Darul Ta’zim II no less, but unlike the first team, Selangor’s second team were destroyed by JDT’s second team at the Petaling Jaya Stadium.