Malaysian head coach Tan Cheng Hoe resigns after a poor Suzuki Cup performance

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) announced on Monday that Tan Cheng Hoe has resigned as Malaysia's head coach following his team's inability to qualify for the AFF Suzuki Cup 2020 semi-finals in Singapore last month (Jan 3).

Tan announced his decision to leave down during a recent meeting with the management of the national football governing body, according to FAM secretary-general Mohd Saifuddin Abu Bakar.

He claimed that after a "open-hearted dialogue from all perspectives," the FAM management acknowledged his decision and mutually parted ways with Tan.

"FAM expresses its heartfelt gratitude to Cheng Hoe, who has worked for FAM for 14 years, starting as an assistant coach for the national under-20 team in 2005 "In a statement, Saifuddin said.

"His achievements and efforts will be remembered for a long time.
Thank you very much.
Also, best of luck to Cheng Hoe in his future teaching endeavours."

Before his successful cooperation as assistant coach with K Rajagobal, the 53-year-old coach from Alor Setar, Kedah, had worked as the assistant coach of the under-20, under-23, and Harimau Muda A squads, helping Malaysia win the 2009 SEA Games gold medal and the 2010 Suzuki Cup.

Tan, who later became the head coach of Kedah from 2014 to 2017, established himself as one of Malaysia's greatest managers by helping the Red Eagles win the second-tier Premier League in 2015, the Malaysia Cup in 2016, and the FA Cup and Charity Shield in 2017.

In 2017, he returned to FAM as Nelo Vingada's national assistant coach before being promoted to head coach at the conclusion of the year.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the tournament schedule, he built up the Harimau Malaya national team to finish runners-up in the 2018 Suzuki Cup and put the team in an excellent position in the second round of the 2022 World Cup/2023 Asian Cup qualifiers in 2019.