Ali Thameem
Ali Suzain has publicly spoken for the first time since resigning as head coach of the Maldives national football team.
Speaking with Sidibari from Australia last week, where the team played the Asian Cup Qualifier against Timor-Leste, Suzain reflected on his decision to step down, the struggles that defined his tenure, and his hopes for the future of Maldivian football.
The resignation came immediately after the 1-0 defeat against Timor-Leste. “My work with this team is over,” Suzain announced on social media following the result. The loss added further blow to the Maldives’ hopes of qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup 2027, which will be held in Saudi Arabia.
The Maldives had lost the friendly game against Singapore 3-1 just over a week ago.
“I just took the decision because I felt it was the right thing to do, given the circumstances,” Suzain says. He describes his time in charge as an honour and a pleasure but does not shy away from the disappointments of recent results.
“We had only two full days of practice with the whole team before departing to Singapore,” he says, pointing to the lack of proper preparation. “The biggest influence on the result, some things need to be improved on my side. But the single biggest thing is that, the players had spent a long time without competitive games.”
The FAM League Cup, held this May, did provide some game-time for the players. Still, Suzain highlights the disadvantage of competing against other nations, who, unlike Maldives, had been active in competitive club football over the past 18 months. “That difference is there,” he says.
Suzain has witnessed first-hand Maldivian football’s evolution over the decades, from as early as 1979 when Maldives began competing in international football. As the manager, he had utilized the insights he gained over time, from the early days when Bangladesh and India dominated the region to a period when consistent development allowed Maldives to challenge those same sides.
“But by that I mean the time before 2024, when things got so bad the league was not held. With such changes, the influence we (Maldives) had has slowly faded. And for the national team, we were not given the chance to prepare in a proper manner.”
“There are lots of reasons to this. But a good start would be by overhauling the FAM management – with the election. But that is something that is in the future.”
When it comes to the results on the pitch, Suzain takes full responsibility. “This result is, to be honest, not something that I can accept, defeat against the likes of East Timor… umm, Timor-Leste. It is inexcusable, regardless of circumstance. The game we played was extremely poor.”
Speaking on the performance against Timor-Leste, Suzain says “We had problems in terms of finishing. But if there is some tactical decision to be improved, I think it best be pointed out from afar. From what I saw, we created some good chances early on in the first half and delivered two or three fine attacks. But they (Timor-Leste) had taken control of the game and scored a goal before halftime.”
He adds that the conditions in Darwin, Australia, did not create any additional difficulty. “In terms of the temperature, it did not feel like an away game, not at all. The weather was ideal for us.”
The national team had remained dormant for over a year since late 2023, then played two friendlies against Bangladesh in Dhaka last November. Maldives won the first game but lost the second. Both games were decided on narrow margins.
The team later travelled to Shillong, India in March for another friendly before heading directly to the Philippines for their opening match of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifying third round, which ended in a 4-1 defeat.
Besides Suzain, the coaching team includes assistant coach Ahmed Shakir (Shaakitte), Ahmed Suzair and goalkeeper coach Hassan Hameedh (Dakey), who all helped Suzain guide Maldives national team throughout these uncertain times.
Plans to hire a foreign coach had been considered earlier this year. However, in early May, the FAM Normalization Committee decided to shelve those plans after the SAFF Championship, previously scheduled for June, was postponed to 2026. With that, Suzain remained at the helm through the two games this June.
Suzain’s tenure officially concludes after 14 matches, producing three wins, two during the 2021 SAFF Championship and the friendly victory over Bangladesh. The team has now lost its last five matches. Maldives is currently ranked 164th in the FIFA Rankings; the lowest since September 2016.
Having previously served as assistant coach under Martin Koopman, Suzain first took interim charge during the 2021 SAFF Championship and returned to lead the side again after Francesco Moriero’s departure in 2023. Despite earlier criticisms of FAM leadership, he remained part of the national team in these troubled times.
Now as he steps aside, Suzain remains focused on what the team needs going forward.
“It will be much helpful if a Maldivian coach takes over, given that a local would understand the intricacies of the sad state of football we are in,” Suzain says. “Should a foreign coach come in, it is not easy, really, with this squad. Especially if the league does not start by October, I do not think a transferred-in coach will get to see much.”
By the time the next SAFF Championship arrives, Suzain hopes domestic football will have returned to stability, providing the national team with a stronger platform. Regardless of who leads the side next, Suzain’s commitment remains the same
“I will always remain loyal to the sport I dearly love, Maldivian football,” Suzain says.
