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 (May 29).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Rajagobal emphasized the need for continued hard work but expressed confidence in Cklamovski’s understanding of the team. He pointed out that every coach has unique plans and noted the improvement in the team’s second game under Cklamovski’s charge. Rajagobal highlighted that Cklamovski is aware of the challenges posed by upcoming opponents like Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers on June 10.

Rajagobal refrained from providing a detailed evaluation of Cklamovski’s impact, stating that it usually takes about 10 matches to assess whether there has been an improvement. He made these remarks during a media conference to launch his book titled ‘Inilah Saya K. Rajagobal’ (This is me, K. Rajagobal) at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Festival.

In the May 29 friendly, Malaysia, ranked 131 in the world, required a 79th-minute equalizer by Paulo Josue to secure a 1-1 draw against world number 72 Cape Verde. The national team is set to face Cape Verde again in a closed-door friendly at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday (June 3). These friendlies are part of Malaysia’s preparations for the crucial match against Vietnam in the Asian Cup Qualifiers.

Meanwhile, Rajagobal, celebrated for guiding Malaysia to the gold medal in the 2009 Laos SEA Games and the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup triumph, described his book as an inspiration for the younger generation. He aims to share his coaching experiences and stories of overcoming challenges, offering something valuable to the sports community in Malaysia.