Not professional enough (The Malay Mail)

SOCCER in the country has gone fully professsional since 1994 but not a
season has kicked off without controversies.
It often involves the movements of players and their contracts, leading
to the State FAs crying foul.
Who is to blame? The players themselves and the State FAs.
In fact, both parties deserve each other for making a mockery of the M-
League. While most of the players are ignorant of their rights as
professionals, the State FAs are of no help at all - being equally
ignorant too.
In the end, both the players and States FAs end up blaming each other
for the mess they created.
The root of the problem is that neither the players nor the State FAs
are professional enough in dealing with their jobs.
While the players are to be blamed for making use of State FAs to mark
up their value by offering their services to every other team, aren't the
State FAs suckers enough to be used by them?
State FAs should make players sign letters of intent instead of verbal
agreements which are not binding.
State FAs should know the types of players they want and not just
entertain every other fella who walks through their doors.
While it is unethical of players to play the waiting game for the best
offers, the State FAs too should not make "insulting offers" to the
players.
You have State FAs offering one-year contracts using the current
economic situation as an excuse and another reason that they are not sure
if their presidents would still be around next year.
As State FAs safeguard their interest, the welfare of the players should
also be considered.
Can the players be blamed if they shop around for more secure contracts?
After all, this is their profession and their families depend on it.
Many have given up stable and comfortable jobs to turn professional as
required by the FA of Malaysia.
And it is not surprising to hear of professional players who do not even
have copies of the contracts!
Many are still asked to sign pieces of papers where the only clear print
is the salaries.
The players themselves should be blamed for signing the contracts
blindly with the State FAs equally guilty of the manner they obtain the
signatures.
Then, we have players who still have existing contracts from the
previous year, but find themselves dropped.
While both parties can come to a settlement for termination of
contracts, many players just do not know what to do and stop attending
trainings, giving  the State FAs an excuse to drop them.
Little wonder then, controversy after controversy would litter the start
of each season because noboby seems to understand the mechanics of the
professional world.
The FA of Malaysia have done their best to educate the State FAs, the
officials and the players but somehow they don't seem to learn.
Even team management is far from professional and it is not surprising
to see the standards of the game correspond accordingly - mediocrity at
best.
It is about time both State FAs and players act more professionally to
ensure that the game is not turned into a circus.
And everything is still very amateurish.
                               (END)