The 61st Bardhan Cup (more than six decades old for Indian footballers but limited non Indians allowed to compete) is in going for the last 3 weeks and moves quarterfinal stages next week.
Played in four zones comprising 3 teams in each zone - 12 teams are competing (KL, Putrajaya, Pahang, Selangor, Police, Perak, Kedah, Penang, Perlis, Johor, Malacca and Negri Sembilan.)
I went for three matches (PKNS ground, Pulapol and Ipoh) and saw several talented players in this Under-23 competition.
Sadly, I did not see talent scouts from FAM, States or clubs present.
As far as I know the talent scouting system does not exist in Malaysia not only in football but for other sports popular sports like hockey and athletics, despite my numerous calls for the Ex International Association, State Associations and clubs to pursue the matter.
FA of Malaysia had about two talent scouts under the NDFP, who hardly went around and don’t know if they still exists.
Only PJ City FC was an avenue for these players in Bardhan Cup to look forward to progress further. But PJ City, who were bent on developing local talent but decided not to continue in the M-League this season with the intake of nine foreign players allowed for teams in M-League.
In fact, a majority of PJ City players including former national player not so long ago, 28-year-old N. Thanabalan and their coaching staff of P. Maniam, P. Somasundram and V. Murugan are with Harini FC in M3 (amateur) League.
The Bardhan Cup itself is well organised by the Malaysian Indian Sports Council (an affiliate of FA of Malaysia) and working closely with Malaysian Indian Football Association (MIFA), following all protocol of a professional league with the FA of Malaysia sanctioning the tournament and guiding them.
MIFA under previous president Datuk T. Mohan had done well to promote football among the Indians before passing the baton his former secretary, K. Anpananthan (a businessman), to carry on with the legacy left behind.
However, the absence of talent scouts is a crying shame because many talented players from this tournament are going to the wilderness and lost, while Malaysian football is more interested with heritage players and giving citizenship to foreign players who are in their 30s!
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| Selangor coach K. Ramachandran with Iconic former Perak and national player and coach |
When I was in Ipoh, I contacted former Perak and national player and coach, Datuk M. Karathu, to ask him if he was going for the match between Perak and Selangor.
To my surprise, he did not even know that the Bardhan Cup was ongoing, let alone that there was match in Ipoh that evening.
I invited him to come and watch the game and immediately agreed to come.
After just watching the game for ten minute he commented: “There are several talented players here who with proper coaching can progress far.
“Sadly, there is no talent scouts even from the clubs,” he said with a tinge of sadness.
And that MIFA had honoured people like Karathu, Datuk Santokh Singh and Datuk N. Thanabalan in 2017 and they not used or informed of the Bardhan Cup, is indeed surprising.
Hopefully with the Bardhan Cup moving to the quarterfinal stages this week, they will be some effort to get the relevant coaches to come and watch the players in action and pick up the talented players to help them in future of their football career.
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