Being a Former national team coach is not easy!

Bhaskran R Satiananthan or better known as B. Satiananthan is a name that needs no introduction in the field of Football - From securing the position of the President of Football Coaches Association of Malaysia (FCAM), a loving husband, an inspiration, and a gem - all rolled into a great man!

Born and bred in Muar, Sathianathan began his career with Negri Sembilan's U18 and U20 teams before taking over the first team in 1992. Sathianathan got his first taste of glory when he led the team to victory over Terengganu in the 1992 Sultan's Gold Cup final, which was a significant achievement for him.

In 2006, he was the assistant head coach at MPPJ FC and acted as the interim head coach for a short period after Michael Feichtenbeiner was relieved of his job. Satiananthan has since gone on to coach other teams in Malaysian football, including PKNS FC and Selangor FA.



Having said that, Astro Ulagam had an insightful interview session with Football Coaches Association of Malaysia (FCAM) president and you would be surprised by this mastermind in the world of football.

Asking about the greatest achievements in his coaching career:

“There are so many. But the Merdeka Tournament in 2007 will be my first choice. A dream comes true moment. It was a massive tournament – and, it was such a big thing, I was over the moon and proud to win it; proud of my country, proud of my team.”

“The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning.” – Pelé


Passionate and humble at the same time, he believes in imparting discipline is the essential foundation for any sport because it builds an athlete's character to help them focus and attain the ability to work towards achieving their targets without any distractions.

Setting a living example for the team was Sathia’s main focal point. From reaching the field earlier than the players to coaching them every single day with determination. He served as an inspiration to everyone he coached and helped them reach their potential.



The 65-year-old coach added a few more feathers to his cap by lifting the Malaysia Cup with Kelantan FA in 2010, and he brought second-division sides ATM FA and Felda United into the top flight in 2012 and 2018, respectively. In the midst of those glorious days, he also won the Best Coach award at the annual FAM awards in 2010, 2012, and 2017.

To date, Sathianathan has not stopped himself from learning more new things about football.

“Football is universal. You’ll keep learning wherever you go," says Sathia!

Asking a piece of advice to be given to the upcoming generations. The legend says:

"If you want to play football, start young and work hard. It takes dedication and self-discipline to be a good football player. When you're older, you'll have more experience and be able to make better decisions on the field. Just remember, no one ever said the journey would be easy. But it'll be worth it in the end."

​With that, we're proud to have Satiananthan as one of our Astro Pundits for the Liga Malaysia season. From bringing a wealth of knowledge and insights to the table, there’s no doubt that he has a plethora of information to share with us in this season.

Indeed, B. Satiananthan's achievements will forever etched in our mind as a well-known figure for his tactical acumen and ability to develop young players. Thank you for putting Malaysia on the world map! You are an inspiration to us all and we are forever grateful for your contributions towards our nation.

Image Credit: Astro Awani , Stadium Astro