Ex-chief coach Rajagobal says early to judge Cklamovski after book launch
KUALA LUMPUR: Former national football team head coach Datuk K. Rajagobal feels that it is still too early to evaluate current coach Peter Cklamovski's impact on Harimau Malaya.
Rajagobal, however, believes that the team showed an improved performance in their 1-1 draw in the friendly against Cape Verde at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras on Thursday.
Although he was quick to point out that the Harimau Malaya squad still need to work hard to continue to improve, he also expressed confidence in Cklamovski, saying 'he (Cklamovski) knows what he is doing'.
'Every coach has his plans. We can see from his second game in charge (against Cape Verde), there is improvement, although they still have room to be better.
'Cklamovski knows which team they will be facing and the players he will field against Vietnam.'
They will face Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers at the National Stadium on June 10.
'I can't give an evaluation now. Usually, it will take about 10 matches before one can assess if there has been an improvement or not,' he said during the media conference to launch his book titled 'Inilah Saya K. Rajagobal' (This is me, K. Rajagobal) at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Festival yesterday.
In the friendly, world No. 131 Malaysia needed a 79th-minute Paulo Josue equaliser to hold world No. 72 Cape Verde to a 1-1 draw.
The national team will take on Cape Verde a second time, in a closed-door friendly, at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday.
The friendlies against Cape Verde are part of Malaysia's preparations for the crucial games against Vietnam in their second Group F match of the Asian qualifiers.
Meanwhile, Rajagobal, who guided Malaysia to the gold medal in the 2009 Laos SEA Games and the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup triumph, described his book as an effort to inspire the younger generation and serve as a medium for him to share his coaching experiences with future generations.
'The inspiration for writing this book came from my eldest son. Many legends never wrote or documented their life journeys for reference ... not just my own story, but those of other legends as well. This is my opportunity to share that struggle with the younger generation.
'I have stories about how I faced challenges and hardships that I want to share not only with sports fans but with all Malaysians.
'I felt that I had to write this to contribute something meaningful to the sports arena in the country,' said Rajagobal, who also used to coach Brunei. — Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Barnama
4 hours ago
- Barnama
WUG 2025: Sprinter Muhammad Azeem All Set To Kickstart Athletics Challenge
From Ahmad Nazrin Syahmi Mohamad Arif ESSEN (Germany), July 20 (Bernama) -- The national athletics squad, led by sprint ace Muhammad Azeem Mohd Fahmi, will begin their challenge in the 2025 Rhine-Ruhr World University Games in Lohrheidestadion, Bochum, tomorrow. Muhammad Azeem, who is also the national 100 metres (m) record holder with a time of 10.09 seconds (s), will be in action in the first round of his pet event in the evening. bootstrap slideshow The 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games bronze medallist will have Aliff Iman Mohd Fahimi for company. At the same time, Umar Osman, who holds the national 400m record of 46.09s, and Muhammad Aidil Azhar Azrul Hisyam will take part in the men's 400m event. Muhammad Fakrul Afizul Nasir, the national 400m hurdles record holder with a time of 51.26s, is also slated to compete. In the women's category, Azreen Nabila Alias and Nur Afrina Batrisyia Momahad Rizal will be hoping to do their best in the 100m event, while Nurul Aliah Maisarah Nor Azmi and Chelsea Cassiopea Evalli Bopulas will battle it out in the first round of the 400m event. Swimming and taekwondo, which enter the fifth day of competition tomorrow, are still awaiting their medals after swimmer Khiew Hoe Yean presented the national contingent with the first medal in Berlin on Thursday. Meanwhile, the national contingent ended Day Four of the WUG 2025 much earlier after the taekwondo exponents and swimmers fell in the preliminary rounds.
Barnama
7 hours ago
- Barnama
Malaysia-Thailand Border Area Boat Race Can Spur local Economy
PASIR MAS, July 20 (Bernama) -- The proposal to organise a boat race competition between Malaysia and Thailand at Sungai Golok is not only expected to revive a traditional sport shared by both countries, but also serve as a catalyst for economic and tourism growth in the border area. Kelantan Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Kamaruddin Md Nor said the initiative has the potential to provide benefits to small traders, homestay operators and tourism services providers around Pasir Mas and areas bordering Sungai Golok. "We feel that events like this can revive the local economy because travellers will come not just to watch the boat race, but also to sample the traditional food, stay in local hotels or homestays and purchase handicrafts,' he told reporters while attending the trial boat race at Sungai Golok (Malaysian side) here today. He added that the proposed location (for the boat race) - the Pohon Jambu base - is already known as a focal point for Malaysian and Thai communities, and its selection is expected to have a direct impact on the economic activities of nearby residents. "This place is beautiful and suitable for such an event because the river is not too wide and already has basic facilities. We also receive good cooperation from the Sungai Golok authorities,' he said. He added that discussions would be held to organise it on a larger scale by involving more teams from Kelantan and Thailand's Narathiwat province, so that it can be turned into an annual affair. Besides the main competition, a unique event being planned is a blindfolded boat race, which could add value and attract more visitors from both countries. This year's trial race, held over two days on July 19 and 20, features 40 teams, including five from Malaysia, attracting an estimated 1,000 spectators. Such events not only help preserve cultural heritage, but also play a significant role in revitalising the local economy, which relies heavily on tourism activities in the border area.
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
'The Destination' shines a light on Saudi Arabia's new image as it moves towards a global future
KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Saudi Arabia has launched a new documentary titled "The Destination", showcasing the country's sweeping transformation under its Vision 2030 programme, spanning the political, economic, sports, and cultural sectors. Produced by the Konoz Initiative under the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Media, the documentary goes beyond chronicling achievements. It offers a visual narrative of how Saudi Arabia-long associated with a conservative image-is now emerging as a competitive and modern global destination. In a statement issued on Sunday, Konoz said the film features mega projects, local talent development, and a cultural innovation boom, delivering a clear message: the Arab world is on the move, and Saudi Arabia is leading the way. "The documentary presents stunning visuals from across Saudi Arabia-from deserts to smart cities-telling the story of a nation's rise, now seen as a new benchmark in the modern Islamic world," the statement said. According to Konoz, the documentary will be broadcast on Shahid, STC TV, Saudi national television, and the official platforms of the Saudi Ministry of Media. Prominent figures featured in the film include Chairman of the King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies, Prince Turki Al-Faisal; Saudi Minister of Sports, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Saud; Ministerial Advisor Mazen Al-Sudairi; CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority, Jerry Inzerillo; and Head of Cardiac Surgery at King Faisal Specialist Hospital, Dr Firas Khalil. Meanwhile, Konoz said that for Malaysia, "The Destination" raises fundamental questions about how to construct an inclusive national visual narrative-one that reflects the nation's values and transformative changes, while speaking to the world in its own language. "Saudi Arabia's aspirations in developing local content reflect a strategic vision aligned with Malaysia's efforts to build a sustainable and borderless media industry,' the statement added. Konoz also noted that cooperation between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia in this area could be expanded, particularly in co-productions, media training, and expertise exchange in telling stories of social transformation. "Just as Saudi Arabia brings a new cultural message to the world, Malaysia too possesses a diverse cultural narrative capable of engaging in dialogue on equal terms-not in submission, but in exchange,' it said. - Bernama
