Zakaria Rahim, a former Selangor club coach and long-time football observer, stated that recent failures have exposed Cklamovski's limitations. According to him, the Australian coach struggled to make a difference without the naturalized players who were banned for one year due to document fraud.

"If he has good players, he does well; without them, he fails. This indicates Cklamovski is not a good coach", Zakaria commented. "A coach's authority must be demonstrated by their ability to elevate the team, not just rely on existing personnel. Therefore, he should part ways with the Malaysia national team".

Coach Peter Cklamovski watches Malaysia lose 1-3 to Vietnam in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers at Thien Truong Stadium, Nam Dinh ward, Ninh Binh province, on the evening of 31/3/2026. *Hieu Luong*

This opinion emerged less than a day after Malaysia's 1-3 loss to Vietnam at Thien Truong Stadium. The match was considered a true test for Cklamovski, as the squad no longer featured seven naturalized players. The defeat in Nam Dinh led many in Malaysia to question the coaching staff's true capabilities. This is also not the first time Zakaria has called for Cklamovski's resignation.

Zakaria directly compared Cklamovski to Kim Pan-gon, the former coach who helped Malaysia make an impact even with a moderately strong squad, including a 3-3 draw with South Korea at the Asian Cup 2023. For Zakaria, the difference lies in the ability to inspire and organize play, factors he believes Cklamovski has not achieved like Kim.

Cklamovski was appointed late 2024, replacing Kim Pan-gon, who unexpectedly resigned despite having an active contract. During his tenure from 2022, the South Korean coach significantly improved Malaysia's performance, including qualifying for the Asian Cup after more than four decades.

After Kim's departure, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) selected Cklamovski, hoping to continue the progress. The national team also brought in an Australian coaching staff, including former international Mark Milligan, to build a new project aimed at the Asian Cup 2027. However, recent results indicate that the transition has not met expectations.

In 10 matches leading the Malaysia national team, Cklamovski recorded seven wins, one draw, and two losses. However, in five of those matches, Malaysia was handed a 0-3 defeat by FIFA and AFC for using ineligible naturalized players. Consequently, the 47-year-old coach's official record stands at three wins and seven losses.

Malaysian football critic, Zakaria Rahim. *Screenshot*

Beyond criticizing the coach, Zakaria also opposed the current operational model of the Malaysia national team. He called for the dissolution of the team's separate entity model and for full management authority to return to FAM. According to him, Malaysian football needs to be rebuilt from its foundation, rather than operating as a short-term project.

Recently, the Malaysia national team has been organized under a model somewhat separate from the federation. According to team CEO Rob Friend, FAM handles administration, legal matters, and player registration, while he and his colleagues manage professional strategy, performance, sports medicine, and logistics.

This model, however, has generated considerable controversy. In a FIFA document related to the naturalization scandal, Friend himself admitted he served only as an advisor, not a full-time CEO, and primarily worked from Canada. This revelation led the Malaysian public to question the transparency and effectiveness of the team's operational structure.

Football critic Pekan Ramli also opposed maintaining a CEO position for the national team, arguing that this model is unnecessary. He highlighted that remote management, especially when the team faces numerous issues, is unsuitable for elite football, where decisions need to be made continuously and directly.

Cklamovski, 47, previously served as an assistant coach for the Australia national team under Ange Postecoglou, later following him to Japan. Cklamovski became head coach for J-League clubs such as Shimizu S-Pulse, Montedio Yamagata, and FC Tokyo before signing to lead Malaysia. His contract with FAM is set to expire later this year.

Hoang An (based on Astro Arena, NST reports)