7. Tan Cheng Hoe (Kedah)

Speak to those in the know in Malaysian football about who is the most impressive homegrown coach and the answer is almost unanimous.

Tan Cheng Hoe had a remarkable run of success last season, guiding Kedah back to the top flight after a three-year absence by winning the Premier League, at the same time as going on a Malaysia Cup run that stretched all the way to the final where they fell 2-0 to Selangor.

At the time of writing the club sits third in the Malaysia Super League; an astonishing achievement for the newly promoted team which relies heavily on a core of exciting young players in concert with some more experienced imports.

It’s a balance that’s not always easy to get right, but the man who won the Malaysia Cup with the same team as a player back in 1990 has not only got the mix spot on, but also has the team playing some of the most eye-catching, attractive football in the land.

It’s that’s pro-active approach which has won the former national assistant some rave reviews over the past couple of seasons. 

6. Graham Arnold (Sydney FC)

As was the case with Kevin Muscat at Melbourne Victory last season, there was a strong showing on the larger, continental stage, yet a season of struggle domestically for Arnold and Sydney FC.

Hamstrung by a slashed playing budget and in the process of overhauling what was an unbalanced squad, the Sky Blues stumbled to a seventh-place finish in the A-League, missing out on the playoffs.

In the ACL though it was a much better experience with historic wins over a pair of former champions in Guangzhou and Pohang, along with a draw against another in the form of Japanese giant Urawa as Sydney topped their group.

A 1-1 draw in China against Shandong set the club up nicely for the second leg of its Round of 16 tie, only for Hao Junmin to score in the 90th minute of a 2-2 draw in Sydney to progress on away goals.

With some strong recruitment and no ACL distractions this term expect Sydney FC to return to being serious title contenders in Australia again under the tutelage of shrewd tactician Arnold, who has already turned down several lucrative offers abroad to remain loyal to the club.