Selangor FC have decided to retain South Korean coach Kim Pan Gon to lead the team despite having to operate on a reduced financial projection following the absence of a slot in Asian Football Confederation (AFC) competitions.

Selangor FC chief executive officer Dr Johan Kamal Hamidon said the decision was made baed on Pan Gon’s ability in building a strong team foundation during his first five months in charge of the Red Giants.

“We (team management) are extremely pleased with his performance. In just five months, he has tried to understand the club’s culture, the local league and the players.

“He has established a good foundation during his tenure to bring the team to a higher level through various plans that are fully supported by the management,” he told a media conference at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Red Giants FC Sdn Bhd and WTM Media Sdn Bhd.

Meanwhile, he said the Red Giants management confirmed that the club’s financial projection will be reduced by 10 per cent from its overall budget of RM20 million, with a full focus on domestic competitions.

“The management assured that the quality of the current squad will not be drastically affected as the focus now shifts entirely to domestic competitions, including reassessing the foreign player quota according to current needs despite the constraints.

“Pan Gon will have full control of player selection and we, the management, will work on contract signings based on ongoing planning processes towards the end of the season,” he said.

Commenting on the situation involving two Selangor FC foreign players, Noor Al-Rawabdeh and Mohammad Abdulnadi, who have joined the Jordan national team camp for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Finals, Johan acknowledged that they are evaluating the matter to protect its interest.

He said any potential transfer or increase in the players’ commercial value will be assessed more clearly after a full evaluation within the next one to two months.

“In fact, we are still in discussions because of course when players go to the World Cup, their market value increases as more teams and coaches will be watching them. So, we will evaluate how the tournament outcome affects the situation,” he said.

Bernama