National coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee says that he's not distracted by speculation over his future ahead of his return to Malaysia after a one-month attachment to English club Queens Park Rangers.
And the former midfielder and defender revealed that he would announce his squad for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup qualifier against North Korea on Monday before he touches down in Kuala Lumpur later this week.
The Malaysians face a daunting trip to Pyongyang on March 28 to begin their third round qualification campaign for the tournament in United Arab Emirates in 2019.
Ong, and his assistant Brad Maloney, have been working with QPR manager Ian Holloway as part of an initiative organised by the club's Malaysian chairman, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.
Jurulatih kebangsaan @OKS_HarimauMsia & penolong @Bradleymaloney bertemu Pengarah Bola Sepak QPR, Les Ferdinand pada hari pertama di London pic.twitter.com/P8o42ad2WW
- Harimau Malaysia (@HarimauMY) February 7, 2017
The future of the former Harimau Muda boss has been under scrutiny with the increasing likelihood that Johor Darul Ta'zim's Crown Prince owner -- better known as TMJ -- will become the next Football Association of Malaysia president later this month.
The JDT boss has repeatedly criticised Ong's record and methods, and announced on the club's Facebook page that ex-Johor head coach Mario Gomez would be taking over from him in the national hot seat.
But with the Asian Cup qualifiers taking place just three days after the Malaysian football elections, the 46 year old will almost certainly lead the team in North Korea.
"On my position as national coach, I must reiterate again that my focus is on the match with North Korea and the friendly in Manila, so there are no distractions," he wrote in his blog on ssdhaliwal.com.my.
"If my employers, the FAM, decide to change the national coach, it is their prerogative and there is nothing I can do about it."
There were concerns that the Malaysia may not make the trip, due to strained ties between both governments following the death of Kim Jong-nam, the half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Kuala Lumpur on Feb. 13.
But Ong's men have been given the green light to take part in the game by Malaysia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"We have received a letter from [the ministry] stating Pyongyang is safe to travel to at the moment," FAM secretary-general Datuk Hamidin Amin told Harian Metro.
"We did request for the match to be postponed, but the Asian Football Confederation got a support letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who declared it safe to travel there."
Besides North Korea, Malaysia also have Lebanon and Hong Kong for company in Group B of the third-round qualifiers.
In 2015, FAM declared it would be "a disaster" if Malaysia failed to the make the regional Cup cut for the United Arab Emirates.