The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) said Cklamovski’s first mission would be to ensure that Harimau Malaya qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.

In a statement, FAM said it also wanted Cklamovski to improve the team’s Fifa rankings with the aim of reaching the top 100. Malaysia are currently ranked 132nd.

The 46-year-old takes over from Pau Marti Vicente, who was made acting head coach following the early exit of South Korean Kim Pan Gon in July.

Cklamovski made his head coaching debut in Japan with Shimizu S-Pulse in the J-League in 2020.

On Nov 11, Tokyo FC confirmed that he had resigned as the team’s head coach, a position he had held since June 2023.

He gained prominence as an assistant coach to Australian football manager and former player Ange Postecoglou, collaborating closely with him during his tenures at Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory, and with the national team, Socceroos.

Pan Gon’s contract was initially set to expire at the end of 2025, but he resigned in July, citing personal commitments.

Separately, FAM announced the appointment of former Kedah Darul Aman FC head coach Nafuzi Zain as head coach of the national under-23 squad.