Saturday, September 12, 2009

For the Sake (Sale) of the Game?

The idea and the birth of the Professional Footballer's Association of Malaysia (PFA Malaysia) which was officially launched on Thursday, all sounds good.

Somehow, I am sceptical about the whole setup. Yes, it is only a protem committee and new committee will be elected soon.


It was a very impressive and professional launch at a hotel in, but the composition of the people present did not authenticate the event.


Missing in numbers were the professional soccer players themselves, except for seven National U-23 who were regarded as the pioneer members of the association. Also not present were the icons of Malaysian footballers, except for Bakri Ibni and Zainal Abidin Hassan, the coaches, and the officials from the State FAs.


Yes, the FA of Malaysia secretary-general, Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad was present and Deputy Sports Commissioner, Mohd Salleh Ramli officially endorsed the PFA and was the VIP for the event. But something did not gel in the event.

ONE FOR THE PFA MALAYSIA ALBUM......(standing from left) Subramaniam, Chelliah, Mohd Salleh, Azzuddin and the seven pioneer members from the National Under-23 squad.

PFA Malaysia general secretary, E.R. Subramaniam was holding court from start to finish, that protem chairman, Dhinesh Chelliah, was totally overshadowed.

Speaking of Chelliah or popularly known as dc, as is his array of printing companies which all start with initials dc, he seemed lost in the event.

The organisers for the event were from dc companies, which left many wondering what a printing company was doing in a professional footballers’ association setup.

Call cards distributed by the organisers at the event, all bore the name of the company dc instead of the newly established PFA Malaysia cards!

If they are in the process of printing the cards, one wonders how come all the folders, programme cards, brochures in the bags, notepad, and T-shirts were all ready for the event.

But it was learnt that dc are the main financial backer and involved from the beginning in the set up of PFA Malaysia.

Little wonder that the folders, programme cards, brochures, the bags and notepads, were all impressive and of high quality.

Then the tagline for PFA Malaysia caught the eyes of many – For the Sake of the Game. (Should it not be For the Sake of the Players). One quick look at their taglline and one would have mistaken it For The Sale of the Game!

Do not be mistaken though that the objectives and the benefits for the players are all noble.

Among the objectives, include:

To bring together all the members in Malaysia regardless of their race, religion, gender or politics;

To improve and uplift the level of professionalism and the standard of the game

To educate and develop our players in every aspect of the game

To pursue and defend the rights of professional football players

To provide a career path after football

The benefits for the players include:

Welfare
Education
Legal representation
Players’ Image Right
Community Acceptance
Recognition of Players
Awareness
Career
Collective Bargaining Agreements
Players’ Voice as One

Assuming that PFA Malaysia will be working hand in hand with the FA of Malaysia, I would have thought that the former would have struck an agreement with the national body to ensure that all the professional players who sign up with FAM to be automatically registered with PFA.

This way, they can fulfill their objective to be the voice of professional players in the country and to act as the collective bargaining agent.

This will similar like all the unions for the various professions.

However, membership to PFA is voluntary. This would mean that players who are not registered with the PFA will not see their welfare being looked into.

What about several professional players who have recently left the scene frustrated of non-payment from the State FAs.

Subramaniam said that they will only look into welfare or plights of players who are currently professionals.

As a new entity in Malaysian football, one would have thought that they would have started off by helping some of the professional players who had to leave the game because of non-payment of salaries to become drivers and security guards.

This would have been seen as a noble gesture and would have been a selling point for the new establishment.

But now, these former players probably will have to register themselves as Associate members, if they are allowed, before any form of help can be rendered.

Lastly, something tells me that the presence of a private company in the setup is a business venture to reap from merchandising, branding and commercial deals for players.

It is fine to have the experts working from the outside as consultants with PFA for the above, but to have them being part and parcel of the setup, certainly looks like conflict of interest.

It is hoped that the setting up of PFA under the present scenario does not lead to more disputes. If that happens, who is going to resolve these issues?


It is learnt that a seminar in collaboration with the FA of Malaysia a seminar will be held for players, officials and coaches of the M-league. It is hoped that a clearer picture is painted in the seminar and any doubts are cleared once and for all.

For now, congratulations to PFA Malaysia for having made the move to set up the organisation, but hopefully was kicked off on the right note.

The last thing we need in our soccer scene is another controversy!

11 comments:

rizal hashim said...

If the cause is noble, I hope the people behind it are sincere, for the sake of the game. And for the sake of the game, I hope nobody is out to make a sale out of PFAM!

Anonymous said...

we shall wait and see...speak softly and carry a big stick...we must be prepared for the snake of the game.


for the game. for the world.

Anonymous said...

SO WHAT IF A PRINTER LEADS AN ASSOCIATION ?

WHETHER IT'S A PRINTER, REPORTER, BLOGGER OR SENIOR CITIZEN THAT LEADS AN ASSOCIATION, IT'S NOT THE MATTER, WHAT MATTERS THE MOST PEOPLE MUST GET THE JOB DONE. TO PFAM I WILL SUGGEST TO FOLLOW THE FOOT STEPS OF PFA, THE WORLD'S LONGEST ESTABLISHED PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION. PFAM SHOULD HAVE A OPEN MIND ABOUT LEARNING, BUT IF EMPLOYED STAFF AND MEMBERS ARE ARROGANT THEN I AM SURE YOU WILL FACE THE WRATH OF THE PLAYERS AND MEDIA.

Anonymous said...

You could have mentioned that the PFAM is sanctioned by FIFPro http://www.fifpro.org/ , THE worldwide representative organization for all professional players.

I understand your cynicism, but let's give them the benefit of the doubt. After all these years, Malaysian football seems to be getting from bad to worse, and ANYONE with initiative and a solid plan is welcome to give it a shot, in my opinion.

Especially when it's the local representative of an international body, we have some assurance that there are many experienced minds behind it.

if dc put his money where his mouth is, I say all the best to him! Or do you have someone more qualified in mind?

-kaki bangku-

Anonymous said...

Salam Ramadhan to all our Muslim fans.

Reading the article thoroughly people can have few perception:

1. Malaysian Footballers does not have any right to protect their interest, and if anybody would like to take initiative to do so, people will be sceptical maybe they have some agendas behind.

2. Soccer in Malaysia just a truely kampong game and don't ever dream go beyond that because it deserved to be remain as it is.

3. Football just like another sport activities and all the player need to behave like others...don't move out from their shell

4. As a player, they are all liabilities and not as an assets to our state or country, so just treat them as like they are cari makan and makan gaji only. Pls don't go above border

5. we are so scared of changes without any reason and never support any movement to improve the football game in Malaysia

6. the writers already imposed his jeopardized toward one gentleman by the name of DC just because he is by profession as a printing man.

so, be cooled. we must wish the wind of change and try to contribute something rather than talking bad about others.

tonymariadass said...

To all Anonymous who posted their comments: I just wished all of you had identified yourself when posting comments. If you were sincere with your comments, why hide behind anon. At least I said what I have to say under my name.
Sadly, many choose to pick on my apprehensions, rather than look at all the positive things I wrote about PFA.I even congratulated the setting up of PFA and all the noble deeds the association wanted to achieve.
Maybe, another careful read is in order.
After having been involved in the game for more than three decades - some of you might not even been born then - I believe I can entitled to my opinion. Opinions are opinions. It does not necessarily be correct. It is always good to have a check and balance. I am passionate about sports and that is why I write. Not to belittle anyone or take anyone to task. Please take all suggestions with a pinch of salt and react like a professional. Till today no one from PFA have got in touch with me to express their dissatisfaction over my posting or make an official reply.
I once again wish everyone involved in the PFA the very best and may all your noble ideas become a reality and help the soccer players in the country. But for the sake of the game, be fair on all accounts. Do not start on the defensive, but go forward and take the challenge.

Anonymous said...

no worries TM, I do smell something sneaky behind it and would suggest that you go deeper to investigate the relationship between DC and our great FAM GS... sure more stories will come up.... hahaha eureka...

DrZackiey said...

Pertamanya saya ingin memohon maaf kerana menulis dalam Bahasa Malaysia meskipun saya boleh menulis di dalam bahasa yang dipaparkan dalam blog ini. Tetapi, saya percaya dan menaruh keyakinan bahawa banyak peminat bola sepak negara kita yang masih selesa dan mahir berkomunikasi dalam bahasa kebangsaan. Kerana itu saya memilih untuk menulis di dalam bahasa ini sebagai menghormati bahasa utama negara dan juga menghormati para peminat sukan ini.

Pertama kali terbaca mengenai PFA Malaysia adalah sehari selepas majlis pra pelancarannya di sebuah hotel di Shah Alam. Sebagai individu yang melihat sukan ini yang pernah satu ketika dahulu begitu meriah dan membanggakan dengan nama-nama besar seperti Mokhtar Dahari, towkey, dan spider man dan sentiasa digeruni oleh pasukan lawan sehingga setiap kali perlawanan bola Piala Merdeka kita semua amat ternanti-nanti siapa pula yang akan kita belasah.

Malahan Korea sendiri juga bukan tandingan kita pada waktu itu. Tetapi, kini saya sendiri tertanya-tanya ke mana potensi sebenar para pemain negara ini yang begitu lincah dan digeruni satu ketika dahulu.

Apabila saya meneliti dan membuat kajian secara terperinci maka barulah saya memperolehi satu jawaban yang agak konkrit yang dinamakan pengurusan.

Dalam ilmu pengurusan, ada 4 faktor yang menentukan kejayaan sesebuah organisasi, syarikat atau apa2 jenis aktiviti yang berkaitan produktiviti.

Ia di panggil 4M, yakni MAN, MONEY, MACHINE DAN METHODS. Adalah amat mengujakan bahawa daripada ke 4 faktor itu rupa2nya yang terpenting sekali adalah Man, atau manusia.

Sebanyak mana wang yang dilabur, secanggih mana mesin yang dibeli, sehebat mana methodologi yang digunapakai tetapi faktor manusia atau modal insan itu diabaikan maka kita tidak akan mampu mengecap kejayaan.

Oleh itu, dalam permainan bolasepak negara ini, kita melihat faktor manusia itu telah diabaikan sekian lama. Kerana manusia sendiri tidak berfungsi sebagaimana robot. Mereka mempunyai perasaan dan keperluan2 tertentu demi mempastikan mereka berupaya 'perform to the peaks'.

Memang benarlah dan sudah tiba masanya arena bolasepak negara ini diwujudkan satu reformasi yang total yang mengambil kira kebajikan para pemainnya.

Biarlah FAM menumpukan kepada permainan bola sepak itu sendiri, manakala PFAM pula membantu menjaga manusiawi para pemain bola sepak negara.

Usaha ini mungkin dapat membantu memberikan kesinambungan usaha memulihkan imej dan kredibiliti malah meningkatkan mutu bola sepak negara ini sepertimana yang kita semua harapkan.

Kepada penulis blog ini, saya turut merakamkan ucapan syabas kepada beliau kerana kesudian beliau untuk menyatakan pendapat dan kekhuatiran terhadap PFAM. Penulis saya lihat sebagai seorang individu yang amat menyayangi permainan bola sepak dan sudah tentu mahukan yang terbaik.

Apa yang dinyatakan oleh beliau hanyalah beberapa kekhuatiran yang sepatutnya kita boleh jadikan sebagai garis panduan dan teguran yang positif demi kebaikan sukan yang sama-sama kita semua cintai ini.

Saya yakin selogan MALAYSIA BOLEH sentiasa mampu dicapai sekiranya kita semua bersatu tenaga dan minda untuk bekerjasama dalam mencapai hasrat berkenaan.

Teruskan menulis, saya akan tetap membaca artikel saudara. Daripada tidak berbuat sesuatu, saudara telah memulakan langkah bagi menghangatkan persada bola sepak negara dan saling bekerjasama memperbaiki di mana yang patut.

Sesungguhnya TIDAK ADA INSAN YANG SEMPURNA.

Tahniah kepada penulis dan selamat berjuang kepada PFAM.

tonymariadass said...

Saudara DrZackiery,
Beribuan terima kasih kerana melampangkan masa untuk membaca blog saya.
Terima-kasih atas padangan saudara dan juga sokongkan atas blog saya.
Dorongan saudara amat dihargai dan harap terus akan memberi komen dan padangan.
Sekian, terima kasih.

John Rontog said...

Group hug?

Anonymous said...

Bloody DC office cum proxi office for fifpro malaysia oso closed down dee. What bulocks !

Wonder for whose benefit the whole farce is all about ?