ARE foreign players and naturalised players the answer to Malaysian football woes?
The question of foreign players
dominating the M-League and a coach resorting to naturalised players to anchor
the national team, has been tossed around like a rugby ball.
It has re-surfaced with the
latest national coach Nelo Vingada toying with the idea of banking on
naturalised players and duly declaring that the domination of foreigners,
especially in the striker’s role, has limited his selection of locals.
There is nothing new in
Vingada’s panacea because for close to a decade now, the problem has been
compounded by the rising intake of foreign players in the M-League.
Former national coaches Datuk
K. Rajagobal and B. Sathianathan, who had also questioned the lack of good
local strikers, were instead singled out to face the disciplinary board.
As in their defence, Vingada
too cannot be blamed for the pursuit of naturalised players as he has to attain
results for a good track record in his two-year contract. The Football Association
of Malaysia (FAM) only offer a short contract but expect instant results.
Henceforth, after locking in
naturalised players, he has to count on local veterans. Sure, he can manage to
string a few good results with the older stars and a few naturalised players,
but when they exit after two years, the national team is back to square one.
The veteran players fade out and Malaysian football flounders further.
FAM ought to address the real
issue of a level playing field — the huge presence of foreign players in the
M-League (more than 90 this season) that stunts the exposure of budding locals.
Every team in the M-League
hires foreign strikers — a vicious cycle. After 14 matches of the Super League,
foreigners top the scorers’ list while the best local hitman is JDT’s Safiq
Rahim with eight goals while the leading scorer is Lebanese Mohamad Ghaddar
with 20 goals.
A revival of Malaysian football
will need two Olympic cycles — eight years — and at worst, a minimal six-year
programme.
Coaches or technical directors
must be hired on longer contracts so they can start working with youth players.
Fans too must wait out the long term vision. Or look back at Datuk K.
Rajagobal, who, as national coach won the Sea Games gold in 2009 in Laos after
20 years and the Suzuki (AFF) Cup in 2010.
Many who started with him as
youth players are still with the national team, including the likes of Shafiq
Rahim, Azamuddin Mohd Akil, Amir Yahaya, Aidil Zafuan, S. Kunalan, Safee Ali,
Mahalli Jasuli, Badrol Bakhtiar, Mohd Syazwan Zainon and Mohd Amirulhadi Zainal.
So are naturalised players the
best leg forward for Malaysian football? Do we want an ‘international team’
instead of a national team?
Latest comes the appointment of
a new technical advisor in Dutchman Peter de Roo, following the two-year
contract of German Fritz Schmid.
The FAM is also hiring a
‘ranking consultant’. Win matches over better ranked teams, and the rankings go
up. The mode for ranking is all tabulated and known to all. Is there a backdoor
to a rise in rankings? Malaysian football never fails to puzzle!
TONY is a Sports Journalist with close to
four decades’ experience and is passionate about local sports. He can be
reached at tmariadass@gmail.com
BLOG VERSION
COMMENTARY
COMMENTARY
Level Field
Is Malaysian football heading the right path?
Is foreign players and naturalised players the answer to Malaysian football woes?
The question of foreign players
playing in the M-League and resorting to naturalised players to strengthen the
national team has been raised and discussed on numerous occasions.
It has once again surfaced with the
latest national coach Nelo Vingada toying with the idea of securing naturalised
players to strengthen his team and declared that the domination of foreign
players, especially in the striker’s role, has limited his selection of local
players.
There is nothing new in what Vingada
is saying because it is a known fact for close to a decade now at least, but
the problem is only been compounded by continuously increasing the number of
foreign players intake in the M-League.
And what Vingada plans has to
strengthen his team is no surprise because he has to attain results during his
short two-year term contract.
This again has been happening over
and over where FA of Malaysia offer short contracts (normally two years) and
expect immediate results.
What does the foreign coach do? He
calls local experienced and older players into the squad as there is a dearth
of young local talent, he has too short to build a team around youngsters as he
need to produce immediate results and suggests to attain naturalised players.
One cannot blame the foreign coaches
for their stance because they want some results to be shown in their CVs during
their stint in Malaysia.
These foreign coaches normally will
manage to string a few good results with the older and experienced players and
probably with few naturalised players, but happens after they leave after two
years?
We are back to square one as the
older and experienced players will no longer be interested to continue playing
their performance would be on the decline because of their age.
We start all over again and make the
same mistake as Malaysian football continue to sink further.
Instead of addressing the issue at
hand – the huge presence of foreign players in the M-League (more than 90
players this season) which is stifling the development of local players rather
than assist in the development.
There is a dearth of local strikers
because every team in the M-League hires foreign strikers.
After 14 matches of the Super League,
the foreign players dominate the goal scoring list while the best local scorer
is JDT’s Safiq Rahim with eight goals while the leading scorer Lebanese Mohamad
Ghaddar with 20 goals
We need to reduce the number of
foreign players plying their trade in the M-League to give opportunity for more
local players to be exposed in the local league.
The reduction of quota of foreign
players in the M-League will also mean that State and clubs will be more
stringent in selecting and hiring the foreign players, which in turn will see
better quality foreign players hired.
But for anything positive to happen
for Malaysian football, it will not be an overnight process.
We have to have at least two Olympic
cycles – eight years – and at worst a minimum six years programme to achieve
anything substantial.
Coaches or technical directors hired
must be given long term contracts so that they can start work with the youth
and develop.
Otherwise Malaysian football will
continue to hope for miracles to happen through their short term plans but end
up disappointed each time and not to mention huge sums wasted money which could
have been out to good use especially on development and long term visions.
Of course the fans will not be happy
as they want to see instant results, but that is not going to happen and the
sooner they realise that and support the long term vision and programmes, the
better.
Just look back when Datuk K.
Rajagobal as national coach won the Sea
Games gold in 2009 in Laos after 20 years and winning the Suzuki (AFF) Cup in
2010.
It certainly did not happen overnight
or Rajagobal waved a magic wand and everything fell in place.
For those who have short memory,
Rajagobal started off with taking charge of the National Under-19 team in
preparation for a quadrangular tournament in Kuala Lumpur involving S. Korea,
Brazil, Portugal and Malaysia in 2006. He then took charge of the national
Under-21 team preparing for Asian qualifier for the World Youth.
He was involved with the youth team
for four years till 2009 when he was in charge of the national Under-23 and
national team. He then handed over the Harimau Muda team (Under-23) to Ong Kim
Swee and was fully in charge of the national team before he was unceremoniously
discharged in 2013.
Many of his players who started with
him as youth players are still playing with the national team which includes
the likes of Shafiq Rahim, Azamuddin Mohd Akil, Amir Yahaya, Aidil Zafuan, S.
Kunalan, Safee Ali, Mahalli Jasuli, Badrol Bakhtiar, Mohd Syazwan Zainon and
Mohd Amirulhadi Zainal to name few
Coming back to naturalised players,
is it the way to go forward for Malaysian football? Will it do more harm or
good? Do we want players representing the nation who cannot sing the national
anthem? How long will they don national colours? How will they blend with the
local players? Will the local players resent them? Will places for local
players be taken up by naturalised players and the national team is an
‘international team’ instead of a national team?
Malaysia is already a multi-racial
nation with the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Eurasians, Punjabis and the various
ethnic groups in East Malaysia with having their own strong points like
artistic and skilful, intelligent, fitness, and strength and built. In short
Malaysia has a world class composition and all it takes gelling them together
with a fair mode of selection.
It is indeed sad that emphasis is not
given to the AFC Under-23 qualifier where coach Ong is struggling to assemble a
team when this is the team which should be moulded with the future in mind.
All priority should have been given
to the preparation of this team without any hitches.
Latest is the appointment of a new
technical advisor in Dutchman Peter De Roo after not renewing the two year
contract of German Fritz Schmid which ended earlier.
How much De Roo can change things for
Malaysia football is left to be seen.
FA of Malaysia is also planning to
hire a ‘ranking consultant’.
As far I as I know, win matches over
better ranked teams and the rankings will go up. The mode for ranking is all
tabulated and known to all.
Is there a back door to raising the
rankings?
Malaysian football never fails to
puzzle and amuse!
TONY is a sports
journalist with close to
four decades’ experience
and is passionate about
local sports.
He can be reached at
tmariadass@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment