LETTERS: Malaysia has qualified for the Under-23 Asian Cup football tournament in Doha, Qatar, next year, under the supervision of head coach E. Elavarasan. Malaysia also qualified in 2018 and 2022.
This is a big achievement, as Elavarasan had only around seven months to mould the team into a winning one.
Elavarasan, who is also the assistant to senior national team coach Kim Pan-gon, has carved a successful coaching career in the Malaysian Super League.
He has the Midas touch, has a knack for leading under-performing teams into a higher league, and is known to be a no-nonsense coach and disciplinarian on the field.
With him as head coach, the U-23 national squad won the Merlion Cup in Singapore, reached the semi-finals of the Asean Football Federation U-23 Cup in Rayong and qualified for the U-23 Asian Cup in Doha.
Elavarasan's resignation as head coach of the U-23 national football team is shocking.
Questions arise about the sudden decision after guiding the team to qualify for the U-23 Asian Cup in Doha.
Recently, the media reported that football fans did not want Elavarasan to continue as head coach of the U-23 squad.
How could the views of a few fans convince the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to accept the resignation? Is there no one at FAM who can convince Elavarasan to stay on or re-think his decision?
Why the hurry in announcing the resignation when a little bit more time would have given some hope for a change of mind?
Why was Elavarasan appointed to lead the national U-23 squad in the first place? Was the evaluation prior to appointing Elavarasan flawed?
We have a history of such decisions that have proven to be detrimental to the sport we love.
Elavarasan achieved his target and should be retained. He should be appraised after the U-23 Asian Games in 2024.
FAM should reject his resignation. Making abrupt decisions is not going to improve the standard of football in Malaysia.
THOMAS SAMUEL
Selayang, Selangor
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times