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Harimau Malaya CEO Rob Friend today addressed the confusion surrounding his role in the national team that have been rocked by controversy. BERNAMA PIC
KUALA LUMPUR: Harimau Malaya CEO Rob Friend today addressed the confusion surrounding his role in the national team that have been rocked by controversy.
After a hearing recently, FIFA had used the word "consultant" for Friend — a phrasing that sparked public debate as the Canadian is known in the Malaysian media as CEO of Harimau Malaya.
"The official designation I stated at the (FIFA) hearing and the designation recorded on the official documents is CEO of the national team. That has never changed," Friend told Timesport,
Earlier, FIFA's appeals committee stated that Friend, who was called to testify, admitted he was only a consultant to the national squad. The FA of Malaysia was appealing FIFA's 350,000 Swiss francs (RM1.8 million) fine and the suspension of seven heritage players for a year for document forgery in the naturalisation process.
Friend explained that the misunderstanding over his position stemmed from his description of his involvement with the legal process.
"During the hearing, I explained that I was also consulting with the legal firm representing FAM, simply to support the preparation work for the case. It seems that this advisory context was interpreted as 'consultant' in the written summary. With that, I hope clarity is now properly shed."
Friend said he understands why fans reacted strongly. "The fans have every right to ask questions — they care deeply about Harimau Malaya. I want them to know I care just as much. When this case was made known to me, I made the decision to take up the challenge and stay fully committed to the national team."
Friend added that the past few months have been challenging, but he remained in his role out of belief in Malaysian football.
"I'm not here for titles or personal gain. I stayed because I believe Malaysia can achieve something special, and I want to help build an environment where players and coaches can succeed.
"Walking away would have been the easy option, but that's not who I am. I kept quiet earlier to protect the legal process."
Friend said he delayed responding publicly to maintain discipline during the ongoing appeal.
"We are still in a legal process, and it was crucial that everything communicated externally was aligned with the appeal strategy. My responsibility was to support the legal team quietly and professionally, not to add noise."
Friend said he respects the public's need for transparency and hopes his clarification helps.
He said the focus is now on Malaysia's appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and upcoming reform measures.
"I respect the concerns voiced by the fans. I remain committed to doing my part for the country, and I hope we can move forward together stronger, clearer, and united for Harimau Malaya."
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