Tan left the Kedah team that has been performing very well in the Malaysian Super League (MSL) this year, with his last day being April 30, but is now officially unemployed.
“I will be speaking to Datuk Hamidin (Amin) sometime soon to discuss the contract terms and regulations,” Tan told the sports portal, referring to the FAM secretary-general.
The issue of the national senior football squad not having a head coach nor assistant coach seems more disturbing now that the rescheduled 2019 Asian Cup qualifier against North Korea is expected to take place next month.
Former Johor Darul Takzim coach Mario Gomez was previously named as the new national head coach by Tunku Ismail, after the Johor Crown Prince took the helm of FAM at its 51st Congress on March 25.
However, on April 7, Tunku Ismail, who is more popularly known as TMJ, said he had dropped Gomez following the Argentinian’s request for more money than what was offered. There have been no new names suggested by FAM since then.
The choice of Tan as the assistant coach was also controversial with some saying it was to weaken the threat from Kedah to the JDT team in the MSL.
TMJ had slammed critics and local football fans who made such allegations, saying Tan was the best local coach in the country and FAM needed to have the best for the good of the national squad.
Meanwhile, in the absence of any potential candidates for post of the head coach, there is a possibility that former head coach Ong Kim Swee or Tan may take on an interim role to prepare Harimau Malaya for next month’s game against the North Koreans on June 8, and the subsequent tie against Lebanon five days later.
Ong was the head coach until he was dropped by TMJ on March 25, and demoted to coach the under-23 squad.
According to ESPN, Penang-based Croatian Bojan Hodak, and former Thailand coach Kiatisuk Senamuang were among candidates suggested for the post of head coach, but have now been said to be dropped from the list.