High hopes for a honest season (25/01/1995 - The Malay Mail)

Publication: MM
Date : 25/01/1995
Headline : High hopes for a honest season


THERE is a good chance soccer will be played honestly in Malaysia in the
new season.
The FA of Malaysia, the State FAs and the Police have gone all out to
clean up the game.
The outcome of investigations, which included the arrest of more than 80
players, will be known by the end of the month.
Most of the players who have admitted to accepting bribes to fix matches
would have seen the last of their playing days.
Some of them will undergo rehabilitation programmes and a handful, who
had helped in investigations but did not take bribes, will return to play
again.
While fans would get a proper deal for their money, the overall standard
of the tournaments could suffer a little as some of the better players
will not be playing.
But it will be a price worth paying because it is only a matter of time
before the youngsters mature and standards rise again.
However, we should not tolerate amateurish State FAs.
It is time the FA of Malaysia ensured State FAs acted professionally.
Surprisingly, some State FAs still have the word `amatuer' in their
association's name.
While players have made soccer their career, we still have many
volunteers or part-time officials running State FAs.
With nothing at stake, many of them take things for granted and just
make up the numbers in the set-up.
Professionals should be running the game at all levels and there should
be accountability from all quarters.
State FAs should start the season right by appointing their coaches as
managers.
Managers, especially those with hardly any knowledge of the game, only
get in the way of progress.
There is no need for a council member to be the team manager as is often
the case.
A fulltime coach will be fully answerable to the FA. If he does not
produce results or provide satisfactory reasons for his team not doing
well, he gets fired.
That brings us to the next step.
Coaches too should be fulltime.
Most local coaches, who have been handling M-League teams, hold other
jobs.
This is a `safe' situation as even if the are fired as coaches they can
return to their normal jobs.
To get the best out of a coach it is only logical to have him on a
fulltime basis.
He must have a full say in the selection of players, training methods,
naming of players for matches and the day to day running of the team.
Sarawak and Negri Sembilan have done so and they should be commended for
it.
If State FAs insist they should have someone on the team, it should be
purely for administration purposes.
State FAs, in signing up players, should keep their end of the bargain.
Some players under Police investigations have cited that one of the
reasons for accepting bribes is because they are not paid on time.
Some State FAs do not work within their budget and sign on expensive
players.
It all boils down to professionalism - or the lack of it. What's the
point in calling it a professional league when everything else about it is
amateurish!

Munich squad duo seek coaching jobs

TWO members of the 1972 Munich Olympics soccer squad - Hamzah Hussein and
Bhawandi Hiralal - are looking for coaching opportunities either at the
State or club level for the new season, writes Tony Mariadass.
  The duo, who were among the squad of 19 players who were a fortnight ago
honoured at the Sportwriters of Malaysia/Glamoir World of Sports Soccer
Awards night for their outstanding performance in 1972, are based in Kuala
Lumpur.
  Hamzah is an officer with Prisons in the city, while Bhawandi is a
police officer.
  Last season, Hamzah was one of the assistant coaches to Milous Kvacek
with the Kelantan team.
  But when Kvacek left for home during the Malaysia Cup competition,
Hamzah was in charge, together with his Munich teammate, Wan Zawawi.
  However, Hamzah has returned to KL because he is unable to obtain leave.
  Hamzah, before going to Kelantan last season, was coaching the KLFA
youth teams. He had also assisted Chow Kwai Lam with the senior team.
  Bhawandi, on the other hand, is currently coaching the Police team in
the KLFA Dunhill League.
  Three seasons ago, he was among the coaches handling the Police team in
the Second Division Semi-Pro League.
  In fact, several players from the Munich squad have tasted coaching at
the State level.
  They include M. Chandran, Rahim Abdullah, Mohamad Bakar, Wan Zazawi and
Soh Chin Aun.
  Chandran and Mohamad have even coached the national team.
  Another player, Khoo Luan Khen, who left to play in Hong Kong in the
1970s, was the Hong Kong national coach for the Hiroshima Asian Games last
year.
  Namat Abdullah, another member of the Munich team, is now linked with
Perak for the new season and is expected to be one of the coaches.