Matthew McConkey speaks at a press conference after being announced as head coach of Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC. Svay Rieng
In conformation of rumours that have been swirling for days, Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC has officially promoted assistant coach Matthew McConkey to the role of head coach. The club trusts that the tall Northern Irishman will build upon the foundations laid by outgoing Spaniard Pep Munoz, who led the team to successive Cambodian Premier League (CPL) titles.
In a press conference held this afternoon, June 3 to introduce the new head coach, Christopher William Grant, general manager of Svay Rieng, noted that McConkey has served as assistant coach with the club for the past four years, working under both Conor Nestor and Pep Munoz.
This means he is already familiar with the club’s environment, staff and players, as well as the Kingdom’s football environment.
Grant added that during the past two seasons, when Svay Rieng won the CPL title two years in a row and the 2024 Hun Sen Cup – and notably reached the final of the 2025 AFC Challenge League – McConkey played a significant role behind the scenes. This contribution was key to the club’s decision to appoint him as head coach.
“Matthew has made major contributions to the club’s success over the past four years as an assistant coach. That’s why the club’s leadership didn’t have to think too long about choosing him for the head coach position. He is highly suitable, and we have full confidence that he will lead the team to achieve even more,” he said.
The general manager emphasised that he does not want to see comparisons between the achievements of Munoz and new head coach McConkey.
“Our club always looks forward. What we need to do is maintain our hunger for victory and bring success to our fans. So, we don’t want to compare the old coach’s accomplishments with those of the new one,” he explained.
McConkey acknowledged that his new role will result in more pressure than his previous role.
The Northern Irish coach, who holds a UEFA A Licence, described being trusted to lead Svay Rieng as head coach as one of the most important moments of his life.
“This is one of the biggest decisions in my life — to become the head coach of Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng. Many coaches aspire to lead a team like this. We can’t be assistants forever,” he said.
“When offered the chance to become head coach, I made up my mind in less than three seconds. I’m deeply grateful to Grant and His Excellency Dy Vichea, the club president, for trusting and empowering me to take on this role,” he added.
