KUALA LUMPUR: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) hope the appointment of Jordanian Soleen Al-Zou’bi as the new head coach of the National women’s squad (Malayan Tigress) will help inspire the ailing fortunes of women’s football.
FAM Women’s Football Committee chairman Datuk Suraya Yaacob said the presence of Soleen can lift the fortunes of women’s football in the country and prepare a formidable squad that can excel on the international stage.
She added that the new initiative by the FAM can also trigger interest among young female players to take up the sport, knowing that they have an avenue to showcase their talent and use the platform to achieve their aspirations and potential.
“This is certainly a major step for women’s football in the country because we have engaged a foreign coach who has vast experience and knowledge in handling a national squad. We have all these years used only local coaches to train the Malayan Tigress.
“Soleen will not only serve as the head coach for the National women’s football team but will take charge of the FAM Women’s Football Unit. He will be in charge of planning and carrying out plans and programmes that involve women’s football,“ she said in FAM’s Facebook posting today.
Among the major competitions that the women’s football team will be taking part are the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games, 2024 Olympic Qualifiers and 2023 AFF Women’s Challenge.
Meanwhile, the junior squad will be competing in the 2024 Women’s Under-20 Asia Cup Qualifiers, 2023 AFF Women’s Under-19 Championship, 2024 Women’s Under-17 Asia Cup Qualifiers and 2023 AFF Women’s Under-16 Championship.
Soleen who is currently the head of the Women’s Football Unit and Assistant Technical Director in the Jordan Football Association (JFA) will report for duty at Wisma FAM, Kelana Jaya on Dec 1.-Bernama