Fandi signs with Johor Former Lions star will join Malaysian Premier League side as technical director

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SINGAPORE - Former Singapore star striker Fandi Ahmad is set for a return to Malaysian football.

Fandi will join the Johor FA team as technical director, after an invitation by the crown prince of the Malaysian state, Tunku Mahkota Ismail ibni Sultan Ibrahim, who took over as president of the Johor FA last week.

Speaking to TODAY, Fandi confirmed yesterday he has signed a three-year contract with the team currently featuring in the second-tier Malaysian Premier League and will start work officially on Thursday.

The 49-year-old, who revealed he has already left the Sembawang Soccer Academy, where he was also a technical director, will work with Johor's head coach K Sukumaran.

"I have had a discussion with coach K Sukumaran and together we will help build a stronger Johor team in the M-League," said Fandi.

"I'm happy to be working with the Johor team and I see it a challenge given the inexperience and the young players they have right now.

"It will be tough for them to do exceptionally well this season but we need to hang on in there and hopefully next season we can work things out and start building Johor into a quality team."

Johor FA won the league and Malaysia Cup double in 1991. But they have hit lean times since and currently lie sixth in the 12-team Premier League, having picked up six points from four matches.

Fandi was reportedly at Johor FA's last match, when the Scorpions stung Sime Darby FC 2-1 last Friday.

Fandi is a household name in Malaysian football, having played for the Lions, Kuala Lumpur and Pahang in the Malaysia Cup days from 1980 to 1994.

He was favourite to be named coach of the LionsXII team currently playing in the top-tier Malaysian Super League, but V Sundramoorthy eventually got the nod.

While taking on the new role across the Causeway, Fandi will still continue with his activities on home soil.

"I have also told the Johor FA officials that I cannot commit myself seven days a week to be with the team because I have got my commitments in Singapore with the Fandi Ahmad Academy and also the coaching of the H2O Dream Team in cooperation with the Institute of Technical Education," he said.

"So it's two weeks in Singapore and two weeks in Johor Baru and they understand the situation I am in right now."