FAM act to keep League exciting (The Malay Mail)

THE FA of Malaysia (FAM) are taking steps to ensure the M-League will not
lose its lustre in the absence of foreign players next year.
 The FAM Local Competitions Committee, headed by chairman Datuk Redzuan
Tan Sri Sheikh Ahmad, have come up with several proposals which have drawn
an enthusiastic response from the State teams.
 The proposals will be tabled at the FAM Council meeting on Dec 12 for
endorsement and implementation.
 Topping the list of proposals is giving teams the chance to earn an
extra point from matches that end in a draw.
 FAM secretary general Datuk Paul Mony Samuel, in briefing the team
officials and State FA secretaries yesterday said: "Teams will still get
one point each from drawn matches.
 "But to make it more exciting, we want to give an additional point to
the team that wins in a penalty shootout."
 Another idea is adding another round of matches between teams in Premier
One and Premier Two.
 With the arrangement, another nine matches will be played apart from the
18 contested on a home and away basis. This brings the total number of
matches to 27.
 The move could be implemented in two ways.
 First, the additional round can be played among teams in Premier One and
Premier Two respectively.
 Or the round of matches could be between teams in Premier One and
Premier Two.
 The team officials and State FA secretaries found the second format more
agreeable.
 Mony said the additional round of fixtures would be completed first,
followed by the usual two rounds among the teams in the respective Premier
One and Premier Two divisions.
 The gate collections from the additional nine matches will be shared
between the Premier One and Premier Two teams.
 Five of the matches will be hosted by Premier Two teams while four will
be played on the homeground of Premier One teams.
 The extra round is to increase the number of competitive matches and to
utilise fully the contracts of players, which are normally for a year.
 Among the other proposals are:
 An open registration for the competition but players are only allowed to
play for one team at the League level. Teams who have reached the
registration limit of 25 players but want to register new players will
only be allowed to do so with the cancellation of players from the
original list. But they must provide documented proof that the contracts
have been terminated amicably.
 Players will be allowed to be loaned to another team if his team do not
make the Malaysia Cup competition. A maximum of five players will be
allowed per team.
 Three Under-23 players must be registered and they will be allowed to
play for the President's Cup team.
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