K. Rajagopal (footballer)

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K. Rajagopal
Rajagopal in 2024
Personal information
Full name Rajagobal Krishnasamy
Date of birth (1956-07-10) 10 July 1956 (age 68)
Place of birth Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Position(s)
Striker
Youth career
1974–1977
PKNS FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1978–1980
Selangor FA
 22 (8)
1981–1989
Sabah FA
 66 (12)
Total 88 (20)
International career
1980–1982 Malaysia 20 (0)
Managerial career
1990–1998
PKNS
1999–2000
Selangor FA
2001–2002
Kelantan FA
2004–2006 Malaysia U19
2007–2009 Harimau Muda A
2009–2011 Malaysia U23
2009–2013 Malaysia
2015–2016
Sarawak FA
2017–2019
PKNS
2020–2022 Brunei
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Malaysia (as manager)
AFF Championship
Winner 2010
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

manager and former player. He is the former head coach of the Malaysia national team and the under-23 football team, guiding the team to win the 2010 AFF Championship
earning the nickname "King Gopal."

Rajagopal has also appeared as a football

FourFourTwo TV Show
.

Managerial statistics

As of match played 17 September 2019
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record
G W D L Win %
Malaysia (Caretaker) Malaysia 1 March 2004 30 November 2004 4 0 2 2 000.00
Malaysia Malaysia 30 June 2009 31 December 2013 52 14 15 23 026.92
Sarawak Malaysia 1 December 2015 7 May 2016 11 1 3 7 009.09
PKNS
 Malaysia 22 November 2017 30 November 2019 68 25 17 26 036.76
Brunei Brunei 1 December 2020 22 January 2022 0 0 0 0 !—
Career Total 135 40 37 58 029.63

Managerial career

Beginnings as coach

Rajagopal started his coaching career in 1990 with

Kelantan FA.[1]

Malaysia

He was appointed coach for the young

Premier League champion in 2009. Since July 2009, he has been the head coach for both the Harimau Muda and Malaysia senior teams, taking over from B. Sathianathan. His first game was a 3–0 win against Singapore and a 5–0 win against Zimbabwe
.

Rajagopal is best known for guiding Malaysia's under-23 side to its first gold medal in 20 years at the

2009 Southeast Asian Games in Laos, where the team defeated Vietnam 1–0 in the final on 17 December after earlier knocking out 8-time defending champions, Thailand in the group stage.[2] After the victory, Rajagopal earned the nickname "King Gopal". In July 2009, Rajagopal coached Malaysia in two games against English champions Manchester United
, lost in both matches 0–1 and 2–3.

Rajagopal also led the national football team to win the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup, the first time Malaysia won the championship since its inception in 1996.[3] His philosophy of changing the tactical approach from a defensive to an offensive playing style has been rewarded in this victory. His young team has shown a high standard of football possession, good defensive structure, and clinical finish en route to clinch the title. His contract was not renewed at the end of 2013. Despite some rumours citing him to be appointed as the head coach for the Vietnam national team, it does not come to fruition.[4]

Sarawak FA

In a press conference in September 2015, it was announced that Rajagopal had been appointed as head coach of

Sarawak FA, beginning in December 2015.[5] His contract was terminated the following year, on 7 May 2016, after the team's poor performance, which finished at the bottom of the league.[6][7]

Return to PKNS

Rajagopal was announced as the new head coach of PKNS on 22 November 2017.[7][8][9]

Brunei

On 1 December 2020, Rajagobal was announced by the

National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam to be the head coach for the Brunei national team on a two-year contract.[10] In January 2022, he left his post without ever taking charge of a single international match for Brunei due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11]

Awards and recognition

Personal Honours

Honour of Malaysia

On 4 June 2011, K. Rajagopal was awarded the Panglima Jasa Negara (PJN), which carries the title

Istana Negara
.

Honours as manager

Malaysia
  • 2010
  • 2009

References

  1. ^ a b "No bed of roses for Rajagopal". The Star. 12 September 2008. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  2. ^ "Coach Rajagopal urges Malaysians to support team irrespective of results". The Star. 20 December 2009. Archived from the original on 29 November 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  3. ^ Darren Goon. "Flash Back: AFF Suzuki Cup 2010". Goal.com. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  4. ^ Falah Abdullah (25 April 2014). "Datuk K. Rajagopal linked to Vietnam job". Goal.com. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  5. ^ Geryl Ogilvy Ruekeith (10 September 2015). "K Rajagopal unveiled as Sarawak new head coach". The Borneo Post. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  6. ^ Eric Samuel (11 May 2016). "Rajagopal not quitting coaching after Sarawak farce". The Star. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  7. ^ a b ""I have nothing to prove": new PKNS coach K.Rajagobal". FourFourTwo. 22 November 2017. Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  8. ^ Devinder Singh (22 November 2017). "Rajagobal returns home to PKNS". New Straits Times. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  9. ^ "K. Rajagobal returns to coaching with PKNS FC". Fox Sports Asia. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  10. ^ "K Rajagobal named new Brunei head coach". Borneo Bulletin. 1 December 2020. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  11. ^ "Brunei parts ways with head coach Rajagobal". Borneo Bulletin. 23 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Bahagian Istiadat dan Urusetia Persidangan Antarabangsa". www.istiadat.gov.my.
  13. ^ Eric Samuel (5 June 2011). "King honours Aru, Rajagopal". The Star. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
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