Selangor FC stars Hugo Boumous and Faisal Halim have hailed head coach Kim Pan-gon’s influence in turning around the Red Giants’ fortunes, saying the Korean tactician has instilled unity, confidence and a never-say-die spirit as they prepare for the first leg of the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ final against Buriram United FC on Wednesday.
Boumous joined Selangor on loan two weeks after Kim’s appointment in January and believes the players have taken to his approach which has helped them qualify for the title showdown in the regional club competition.
“I have seen a great atmosphere in the dressing room and that is very important for success.
The coach has given confidence to the players, and we have consistently worked to improve our standards while sharing the same ideas and philosophy,” said the 30-year-old Frenchman.
This is the second time captain Faisal, who has four goals in the tournament has enjoyed the opportunity to work with Kim who was formerly the Malaysia national team head coach, and the forward has credited the team’s stunning run into the Shopee Cup™ final to Kim’s positive influence.
“I have been with coach Kim in the national team for almost three to four years, and the other players also understand his character and what he wants from us,” said Faisal.
“Coach Kim always emphasises on never giving up because a football match lasts 90 minutes. Maybe we concede in the first minute or the 10th minute, but we still have another 80 minutes to turn things around and get back into the game. Coach Kim always stresses the most important thing is unity. If we work together as one team, we will achieve results.”
While he described Kim as a task master on the pitch, Faisal said off the pitch, he is a people’s person.
“As a coach, he is very strict and serious on the pitch. But outside the field, during team dinners or gatherings, he treats every player equally. There is no such thing as “you are a substitute player” or “you are a first-team player.” He respects everyone equally. What he wants is for players to show commitment, and he will respect those players in return,” said Faisal.
Selangor will come up against a powerful Buriram United, who will attempt to successful defend the Shopee Cup™ following their penalty shoot-out victory over Công An Hà Nội FC in last season’s final.
The last time the Malaysian club won a major trophy was the 2015 Malaysia Cup, which Kim hopes to end the title drought.
The Korean said one of the reasons why he took up the helm with Selangor was to help return them to their glory days.
“Selangor FC are one of the most historic clubs in Malaysia and I saw huge potential in the team. During my time with the national team, I often came here and believed this club could become very strong,” he said.
“Malaysia is a very good environment, the people are supportive and the players are hardworking and eager to improve. That was one of the main reasons I wanted to come here.
The club has struggled over the last 10 years, so the opportunity to help achieve something meaningful here was a big motivation for me (to join the club).”
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