Malaysia, which failed at the 2020 AFF Suzuki Cup, is negotiating for a new head coach contract.

Malaysia, which finished second at the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup, failed to reach the group's knockout stage as third in Group B at the tournament held in December 2021.

Malaysia lost 3-0 to Vietnam and 1-4 to Indonesia.

Coincidentally, South Korean head coaches have opened an era of success in both Vietnam and Indonesia.

Even at the time of runner-up in the 2018 tournament, former South Korean National Assistant coach Park Hang-seo gave Vietnam its first victory in 10 years in the final.

In the 2020 competition, former head coach of the Korean National Team Shin Tae-yong finished second.

Malaysia was stimulated by the success of its neighbors and put South Korean head coach on the recruitment list.

Malaysian media and public opinion also argued that the success of Vietnam and Indonesia should be benchmarked.

According to sources, Malaysia has approached a number of South Korean coaches. Some of the candidates have already rejected the proposal.

Finally, South Korean coaches who remain on the candidate list are Kim Hak-bum, former head coach of the Tokyo Olympics in South Korea, and Kim Pan-gon, former head coach of the Hong Kong National Team.

Kim Hak-bum gave South Korea's U-23 national team a gold medal at the 2018 Jakarta Palembang Asian Games.

At the Summer Olympics in Tokyo last summer, he succeeded in advancing to the quarterfinals.

After the Olympics, Kim Hak-bum became a free agent and spent time traveling around Europe and South America to develop into a coach.

Kim Hak-bum won the K League title of Seongnam Ilhwa Cheonma in 2006, and led Seongnam FC to the top of the FA Cup in 2014.

Former South Korean Olympic head coach is the only overseas league career to lead the Chinese Super League's Henan Construction.

Kim Hak-bum was nicknamed "Alex Ferguson in Seongnam" in Korea.

Kim Pan-gon is currently working as a technical director of the Korea Football Association.

Kim Pan-gon is the person who appointed Kim Hak-bum as the head coach of the South Korean U-23 national team, and directly signed Paulo Bento as the head coach of the South Korean senior national team.

Kim Pan-gon, who played for clubs representing the K League, including Ulsan Hyundai and Jeonbuk Hyundai, retired from the Hong Kong league and became a hot topic by leading to the 2009 AFC Cup finals as a head coach in South China through a Busan I-Park assistant coach.

Kim Pan-gon worked as a head coach for the Hong Kong Senior National Team between 2009 and 2010 and 2012 and 2017 and was called "Hong Kong's Guus Hiddink."

Based on his rich international experience, knowledge of tactical theory, and fluent English proficiency, he was appointed vice chairman and technical director of KFA in December 2017.

According to sources, Kim Pan-gon has a desire to lead the club as a head coach again.

Malaysia needs to invest in funds to appoint two South Korean head coaches.

However, Malaysia has to solve the penalty problem for head coach Tan Cheng Ho and coaching staff, who were replaced due to poor performance. 

Sources said there are candidates of other nationalities besides South Korean head coaches, but one of the two South Korean candidates is very likely.