Football: Fandi Ahmad joins Pahang as technical adviser

SINGAPORE - Fandi Ahmad has been named as technical adviser for Malaysian Super League (MSL) outfit Sri Pahang, the club announced on Thursday (July 21).

The appointment comes three weeks after he left the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) following a seven-year stint. His contract as head of elite youth ended on June 30.

The FAS said then that both parties had mutually agreed on this arrangement after the Singapore football icon, 60, expressed his intention to spend more time with his family.

On their social media platforms, Pahang said: "We hope Fandi Ahmad's expertise and experience will benefit the Sri Pahang team."

The club also announced that team manager Dollah Salleh would take over Frenchman Christophe Gamel as interim head coach.

Pahang are second from bottom in the 12-team MSL with half of the season gone, having won just two of their 11 games.

Fandi could not be reached on Thursday for comment on his move.

He is no stranger to Pahang, having played for them in 1991 and 1992, lifting the Malaysian league and cup double in his second season in Kuantan, alongside former Malaysia international Dollah.

Since hanging up his boots in 1999 and transitioning to coaching, Fandi has won the S-League twice with Singapore Armed Forces FC, helped Pelita Jaya win promotion to the Indonesia Super League, and guided the LionsXII to Malaysian FA Cup glory.

He had three spells with the Young Lions, and was the interim national coach in 2018 before he led the Singapore Under-22s to win the 2019 Merlion Cup.

The Straits Times reported in May that Fandi had several options from club sides in the region.

He had turned down offers from sides in Indonesia, and was also linked to Malaysian teams due to his vast connections across the Causeway, such as his good relationship with Sri Pahang president Tengku Abdul Rahman Sultan Ahmad Shah.