Wanted man (The Malay Mail)

KEN SHELLITO, Selangor's director of coaching, is being sought by several
States for the inaugural Malaysian League next season.
 Shellito, 53, whose contract with Selangor runs until May, confirmed
several States have indicated interest in him but nothing has been
finalised.
 "I am interested in coaching in the M-League but first I will have to
find out if the FA of Selangor are renewing my contract as director of
coaching," said Shellito, who played several matches for England in the
60s but failed to make the 1966 World Cup team after suffering a serious
knee injury three months before the tournament.
 "Although I enjoy working on the development side, I feel I can
contribute to both the M-League and development," said Shellito.
 Shellito, however, refused to reveal the States interested in him
because there have been just "casual talks" so far.
 Shellito came to Selangor in 1992 when former Selangor manager-coach
Mazlan Harun hired him as director of coaching.
 But towards the end of the season, Mazlan was relieved of his post.
 Shellito was tipped to coach Selangor this season but German Bernd
Schumm was signed on for two seasons.
 Shellito has been active in Selangors development programme and has also
been active as adviser to youth teams in the State.
 He has been conducting coaching clinics at the districts.
 Shellito managed Chelsea from 1977-80 and later, Queen's Park Rangers
and Crystal Palace.
 He was also in charge of development for the Southern part of Coventry
and was in Singapore for a year with a private company specialising in
coaching schools.
Surprising
 It is not surprising that States are interested in Shellito because the
trend is to hire coaches familar with Malaysian soccer.
 Other foreign coaches available are Milous Kvacek (former Kedah, KL,
Singapore and Perak), Michael Urukalo (Johor), Josef Herel (Negri
Sembilan), Ken Worden (Selangor and national) and Ken Morten (Police).
 Former national coach, Chow Kwai Lam, has also has been linked with
severalStates.
 Among the States looking for coaches are Perak, Penang, Perlis, Pahang
and Kelantan.
                              (END)

Need for more professional approach (03/12/1993 - The Malay Mail)

Publication : MM
Date : 03/12/1993
Headline : Need for more professional approach


MALAYSIAN soccer enters a new chapter with the Malaysian League making its
debut next year and, unless State FAs and its officials, players, coaches,
agents and parents exercise total professionalism, the league will be no
better than an amateur league.
The FA of Malaysia, since introducing the Semi-Pro League in 1989, have
made endless efforts to ensure that a professional approach is adopted by
all to prepare for the league to go fully professional, but it has been
five years now and there are still many problems simply because a
professional code of ethics more often than not takes a back seat.
The 1993 season has just ended and already several controversies have
surfaced.
Among the problems which have arose are States trying to get the
services of players who still have more than six months' contract left
with another State; sacking players who still have valid contracts without
concrete reasons or compensations; players with more than six months'
contract left with a State trying to secure deals with another State;
players making deals with several States at the same time; coaches
applying for jobs in States where existing coaches still have a contract,
and parents marketing their sons to other States despite having contracts
with a certain State.
These problems have surfaced every year since 1989 and, despite the
State FAs and their officials being educated on the dos and don'ts year in
and out through seminars conducted by the FAM, most seem ignorant of the
rules and guidelines. Although State FAs come out to say that they intend
to do everything above board, time and again they are at fault.
So much so that contracts signed every year between State FAs and
players hold nothing concrete except just a piece of paper.
Players themselves have to be partly blamed because many really do not
realise what they are signing or what their rights are.
Youth players especially sign long-term contracts without giving it a
second thought because they look very attractive when offered.
But a season or two later, when these players shine and other States
show interest in them, they want out.
State FAs are no better. Many a player have been made to sign blank
contract forms and do not even get a copy of their contract.
State FAs have been known to stop paying wages the moment their team
bows out of the competition, when all contracts are to end at the end of
the year season.
Unless all parties concerned exercise professionalism and adhere to all
rules of signing on and terminating players and coaches alike, it will
just be like a circus for those watching from outside.
It is really amazing and funny how rules are blatantly broken, or people
coming up with deals outside the system by using top level powers or even
arm-twisting tactics.
It should be pointed out than no one is bigger than the game itself and,
unless all measures are taken to ensure everything is done according to
the rules and fairplay is strictly observed, the game will be the loser.

Local status for foreign pros? (The Malay Mail)

PLAYERS from Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei will no longer be considered
foreign pros when they turn out for local clubs in the inaugural M-League,
if a proposal is adopted by the FA of Malaysia.
 This suggestion is one of several to be discussed when the FAM council
meet in Kuching on Friday, said general secretary Datuk Paul Mony.
 "The proposal is to allow free movement of players among the three
countries without categorising them as foreigners," said Mony.
 Singaporeans playing for Malaysian States have been considered foreign
players, using up therefore the three foreign pros quota. Players like
Fandi Ahmad, Malek Awab, K. Kannan (Kuala Lumpur), V. Sundram Moorthy
(Kedah) and Ahmad Paijan (Terengganu), among others, have played for
Malaysian teams before.
 Except for Ahmad, the others have returned to Singapore. However, Johor
signed on Hasnim Haron this season while Armed Forces had A. Devaraj and
A.R.J. Maran.
 It should be pointed out that several seasons ago, Singaporeans with
permanent resident status weren't considered foreign players. That rule
was amended to categorise them as foreigners.
 The proposal opens a new avenue for Malaysian players, especially those
who could be offered contracts by Singapore and Brunei. It was felt that
since the two countries are part of the Malaysian soccer system, the
foreign status should not be imposed on them.
 Other proposals made by the secretaries include:
 * CONSIDER shelving the FA Cup next season because of the hectic League
schedule.
 * FOREIGN players will have to miss a season when they move from one
Malaysian team to another.
 Mony said States are concerned about over-taxing the players if the FA
Cup is held simultaneously with the League.
 "Under the new format, the 16 teams will play 30 matches. That's an
average of six matches a month. As such, the FA Cup will be a burden,"
Mony pointed out.
 There is fear if the FA Cup is enforced, the States may not use their
regulars, thus depriving the competition of the glamour. It was suggested
the League be monitored next year before considering the viability of re-
introducing the FA Cup in 1995.
 Besides, there will be more time from 1995 onwards as the fasting month
will be earlier.
 The competitions committee are, however, in favour of the FA Cup. They
are expected to make alternative suggestions.
                              (END)