KOTA KINABALU: Sabah FC head coach Jean-Paul de Marigny (
pic) stepped down from his post on Thursday, bringing to a close a brief but significant chapter for the club.
The Australian coach, who took charge in August, leaves having restored belief around the team despite his short tenure on the sidelines.
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De Marigny guided Sabah to the 2025 FA Cup final, ending the club’s 27-year wait to return to the country’s most prestigious domestic showpiece.
Although the Rhinos fell short in the final, the run itself was widely regarded as a milestone moment for Sabah football.
In a farewell video posted on Sabah FC’s
Facebook page, de Marigny said he felt an immediate connection with the State, describing Sabah as a place that reminded him of his birthplace, Mauritius.
“The people are so friendly and always welcoming, and they made me very comfortable here,” he said, adding that the experience would remain one of his proudest memories in football.
He described the FA Cup final appearance as “one of my biggest achievements”, crediting the players, staff and management for creating history together.
De Marigny also revealed that his decision to leave was driven by family commitments, saying he was returning home after being called back by his family.
“I depart the club with a heavy heart, but I will not be leaving Sabah FC,” he said, pledging to remain in touch and to return to Sabah with his family in the future.
His exit follows the earlier departure of Sabah FC technical director Scott Ollerenshaw, who also left the club due to family reasons in Australia.
Sabah FC, in a
Facebook post on Thursday, thanked de Marigny for his leadership and positive influence, saying he would always be welcome back with the Rhinos.
