You must be kidding (05/07/1998 - Sunday Mail)

Publication : SUM
Date : 05/07/1998
Headline : You must be kidding


BRAZIL have it. So do England and Germany. Virtually the whole world have
it.
But the way Malaysian soccer critics see it, we can live without it.
So, they slammed the FAM for trying to have a national team. As far, as
they are concerned, the national squad became ashes at the Jakarta SEA
Games last year. No resuscitation. No hope.
When FAM recently called up several l players from that failed `97 squad
to join forces with the Olympic 2000 in forming a new-look national team,
certain quarters were quick to take the national association to task.
But where in the world is there a country with no national team?
Sure, the FAM did announce the national team had been disbanded following
their dismal performances in the SEA Games where Malaysia even lost to
lowly Laos.
Yes, you can disband, disperse or dismantle the national side. But did
the FAM say they cannot reorganise, restructure or replant the national
team?
As the critics take it as dead and buried, do Malaysia have to live
forever without a national team?
Why do we have a M-League in the first place?
And if the top players from the M-League cannot play for the country,
then what is the purpose of the League?
The critics can argue that FAM have already decided to use Olympic 2000
as the new national team.
Come on, be realistic. A national team comprising 19-year-olds who are
now at the bottom of Premier One?
Maybe the critics are against some of the national players who have let
the country down. But what about those who played their hearts out but
happened to be in the same team in Jakarta?
And what about other young players who dazzle in the Premier League but
for state teams and not Olympic 2000?
Do the critics really believe that the present Olympic 2000 team can
stand in as the national team and move on to become the best in South-
east-Asia, let alone Asia?
Can they make the quantum leap from M-League strugglers to kingpins in
the region?
Look at Malaysia's 1-1 draw against China, a team who just missed out in
qualifying for the ongoing France World Cup, on Tuesday in a friendly
match.
Reinforced and stabilised by several experienced seniors, the Malaysian
side, comprising mostly Olympic 2000 players, held their own against the
formidable Chinese.
That surely would have boosted the confidence of the Olympic lads and
inspire them to play with renewed faith in themselves for the honours of
Malaysia.
Don't say China never tried hard. The Chinese team are known for their
national pride and patriotism and the last thing they wanted was to be
held by a Malaysian team playing with mostly youths.

Chance for clubs to strut their stuff (The Malay Mail)

WITH respects and recognition for club teams growing, the fifth edition of
the FAM Cup which kicks off tomorrow, takes on a new sheen of interest.
 The fact that club teams like Johor FC and Negri Sembilan Chempaka have
passed through the doors of the FAM Cup to battle state sides in Premier
Two reflect the status of the tournament.
 With four teams qualifying from the FAM Cup to the FA Cup competition,
that's further incentive.
 The FAM Cup is a platform for club teams to get a shot at professional
State teams. Notably, Johor FC and Chempaka are holding their own against
the states.
 While clubs like Maybank and Pahang LKPP, who competed in last year's
meet, withdrawn this year due to financial constraint, it's encouraging
that other clubs are enthusiastic.
 Six new teams who qualified from the qualifying tournament will join six
teams from last season for the FAM Cup challenge.
 The newcomers are Sabah Gunosukod Pangaits, Kedah Kota Setar Town
Council, Johor JB City Hall, Kelantan JKR, Selangor Wilayah Maju-KPSNS and
Terengganu Perkasa Alam.
 The teams from last season are Malacca Telekoms, Kuala Lumpur Malay
Mail, Negri Sembilan Bank Simpanan Nasional, Kelantan TNB, Kedah JKR and
Kedah PKNK.
 Telekoms, who emerged the 1996 FAM champions when they denied Johor FC a
hattrick, will start as favourites.
 Telekoms are among the few teams in the League who have recruited some
calibre players, both local and foreign, due to strong financial backing
from their management.
 A notable player in their team is Ghanian Isaac Kuffor who is in his
second season with the team. A member of Ghana's Junior World Cup squad
last year, he  scored 17 goals in last year's FAM Cup tournament.
 BSN are another team to watch out for as they have been impressive in
their friendly matches and that includes victories over Telekom and Malay
Mail.
 Former Armed Forces coach M. Paramasivam has been hired to guide them.
But  they are a strictly local outfit who have shown great potential to be
among the front runners.
 Malay Mail, in their second season, have also strengthened their team by
recruiting several former national and State players. Among them are S.
Balachandran (former KL and Sabah), T. Gopinath Naidu (former KL and
Perak), K. Viajantheran (former KL and Perak), S. Mathen, K. Hemadass, S.
Saravanan (all former KL), N. Suresh (former Perlis) and M. Pavalamani
(former KL, Sabah, Malacca and Terengganu).
 MM also have up and coming youngsters like Rakis Setia Khan, Mohamad
Imran Ahmad, Azizul Jamaluddin and Roshaidi Ramli while they rely only on
one foreigner, Australian Taso Notaras.
 Of the newcomers in the tournament, Sabah's Gunosukod Pangaits should be
a team to watch out for. With their declared aim of playing in Premier One
in the year 2000, Pangaits are serious about their campaign.
 They have three foreigners in Scottish defender Derek Wemyss, Brazilian
midfielder Edilson Cesar De Araujo and French striker Joel Lahon.
 Among the notable coaches involved in the tournament are Mosthakeen Omar
and P. Balakrishan for Kedah JKR and Kedah PKNK respectively.
 Others include Paramsivam (BSN), Salim Mahmud (Kelantan TNB), Radzali
Embi (Telekoms) and Marcellinus Bungkilan (Gunusukod).
 The clubs each get a RM30,000 subsidy from the FAM for the first round
of the League which involves 10 matches - five home and five away. But to
manage a  team for the period alone needs at least RM60,000.
 The top four teams from each Group of six will advance to the final
rounds where they will again be divided into two Groups and play another
six matches - three home and three away.
 The top two teams in each group will proceed to the semifinals which are
played on a home and away basis. The final is also played over two legs.
 For the final rounds, the clubs each get another RM20,000 from FAM.
 The champion of the tournament will earn RM50,000 while the runners-up
get RM25,000.

 PREVIOUS CHAMPIONS
 1994: Johor FC; 1995: Johor FC; 1996: Malacca Telekoms; 1997: Armed
Forces.
 GROUPINGS FOR 1998 SEASON
 GROUP A - SABAH Gunosukod Pangaits, KEDAH PKNK, KELANTAN JKR, KEDAH Kota
Setar Town Council, Johor JB City Hall and NEGRI SEMBILAN BSN.
 GROUP B - KL Malay Mail, MALACCA Telekoms, KEDAH JKR, KELANTAN TNB,
SELANGOR Wilayah Maju-KPSNS, TERENGGANU Perkasa Alam.
                              (END)

Malay Mail worry over one-goal lead (NST)

A ONE-GOAL cushion against Premier Two side Police doesn't mean anything
for Kuala Lumpur Malay Mail in their FA Cup first round second leg match
at Merdeka Stadium today.
 Malay Mail coach R. Subramaniam said: "Police are always very dangerous
when they are down and we will start the second leg as though we have only
drawn 0-0 in the first leg.
 "Our rivals will want to redeem themselves after a shocking 6-1 loss to
Armed Forces on Friday."
 Malay Mail defeated Police 2-1 in the first leg at KL Stadium two weeks
ago.
 The result might appear as an upset on paper but Malay Mail have a pool
of experienced former internationals and ex-Kuala Lumpur players to boast
of.
 Leading their charge will be ex-international midfielder S.
Balachandran, goalkeeper M. Pavalamani and former Olympic squad player T.
Gopinath Naidu.
 Their midfield looks solid with N. Suresh, who played for Perlis last
year, providing support for Bala and Gopinath to trouble Police, who rely
heavily on Moroccan El Mustafa Azour in that department.
 Malay Mail's backline is marshalled by Taso Notaras, in his third season
with the side. The Australian has played for Perth-based Floreat Athena in
the Australian League.
 The majority of Malay Mail players have played for Kuala Lumpur and
other State and junior squads at one time or another.
 With such credentials, Malay Mail have the pedigree to make the second
round and set up an interesting clash with big brother Kuala Lumpur.
 Subramaniam, a former international during the era of R. Arumugam and
Santokh Singh, admitted they are looking forward to the clash with KL -
which will pit former city players against the current crop of youngsters.
 It would also be a test of experience against youth and speed.
 "But we are still the underdogs against Police, who are a Premier Two
side.
 "We will take one match at a time," added Subramaniam.
                              (END)

One-goal lead not much consolation for Malay Mail (The Malay Mail)

YOU can bet that the climax will be nail-biting. And whoever prevail are
likely to do so by the skin of their teeth.
 That is as close as it can get when Kuala Lumpur Malay Mail defend their
one-goal lead against Police in their FA Cup second leg first round clash
at the Merdeka Stadium tonight.
 Malay Mail, who won the first leg 2-1 at the KLFA stadium a fortnight
ago, will face an armed and dangerous army of cops firing on all
cylinders.
 For that, the newspaper team know they will have to do more than just
hold on to their slim advantage.
 "We are still treading on very dangerous ground and we have no choice
but to start the match as if the score is even," said Malay Mail coach R.
Subramaniam.
 "Police are one of the most aggressive teams and they will stop at
nothing to win the match."
 Both teams are entering the field shrouded in an aura of mystique. Malay
Mail, who started with a defensive game in the first match, have left the
observers guessing about their game plan tonight.
 Their goalkeeper, M. Pavalamani, is still recovering from a high fever
and looks a doubtful starter. Robert Maniam, who scored the winner after
coming on as a substitute in the first match, is still not a certain first
choice feature. Former international midfielder S. Balachandran is still
nursing a knee injury.
 Police have left their opponents wondering what is under their sleeves.
They did not field three of their key players in the first tie - Ghanaian
striker Mast Opuene Onyanabo, Nigerian defender Theophillus Amoo and local
hitman Darul Nazri Daniyan. It remains to be seen whether the trio will
take the field tonight.
 Subramaniam said Police will be more fired up after their 6-1 thrashing
by Armed Forces in a Premier Two match last week.
 "Even if they field many of their reserves, it won't be easy for us.
Their new players are all eager to prove themselves and will play their
hearts out to help their team win," he said.
 Malay Mail have an attractive cast of former national and KL players to
chart their fortunes in their first FA Cup outing.
 Apart from Balachandran and Pavalamani, T. Gopinath Naidu, a former
Olympic squad player, has the quality stuff to elevate the team.
 The midfield looks a classy department with former Perlis schemer N.
Suresh  combining well with Balachandran and Gopinath to run the engine
room. The three have the task of outmanoeuvring the Police middle line,
manned by Moroccan El Mustafa Azour.
 Australian Taso Notaras, into his third season with Malay Mail and has
played for Perth-based club Floreat Athena in the Australian League,
provides the safety touches at the backline.
 If Malay Mail succeed in eliminating Police tonight, they will go on to
meet Chow Kwai Lam's KL in the second round.
                              (END)

Act before it's too late (08/04/1998 - The Malay Mail)

Publication : MM
Date : 08/04/1998
Headline : Act before it's too late


HAVING seen their authority kicked in the face, the Kuala Lumpur FA must
show they have the firmness to deal with issues.
Though Monday's boycott of training by their Premier One team was seemed
to be resolved, the team management, especially, cannot just let it blow
over.
What assurance is there that it will not happen again?
By all counts, the players were wrong in boycotting training and going
instead to see KLFA president Datuk Seri Megat Junid Megat Ayob to voice
their unhappiness and grievances.
No matter what their reasons for snubbing coach Chow Kwai Lam (above),
their action in staying away from training cannot be condoned or
justified.
The KLFA will only be showing their weak side if they allow the matter
to be swept under the carpet.
The players have shown an open defiance of Kwai Lam and, unless action
is taken, the credibility of the latter is on the line.
Above all, the "rebels" did not show respect for the management
committee to whom they should have brought their grievances.
Although the players claimed that the management committee comprised
mainly of officials involved with the team, there are others who are not
linked directly.
One of them is Datuk Wan Adli Datuk Wan Ibrahim, the chairman of the
management committee and vice-president of KLFA.
Even if the players felt they had no other alternatives but to approach
Megat Junid, they should have done so after training.
The KLFA should issue all the players involved a show-cause letter and,
if they do not get a satisfactory reply, a fine be slapped on them for
their unbecoming action.
The ring leaders or instigators should be identified and suspended.
There were claims that not all the players were in favour of the
boycott, but they had to follow the majority.
But that is no excuse. Doesn't every player have his own mind?
At least, those not in favour of the boycott should have tipped off the
team officials.
The two foreign players who followed suit should also be brought to
book. As foreigners hired to help uplift the game in the country, they are
not here to play politics.
The KLFA should take a cue from the Olympics 2000 management committee
who had shown no hesitation in suspending three players for indiscipline.
No one is indispensable. The management committee took the decision
despite the key trio being involved in the M-League qualifying tournament.
It is about time the management committees of our soccer teams take a
stern stand on discipline of players in the best interest of the game.
Senior or junior, every player should have respect for officialdom and
for law and order on and off the field. Those guilty of breach of conduct,
no matter to what degree, should be dealt with accordingly.
It is hoped that the KLFA will not take the recent flare-up lightly.
Appropriate action has to be taken before the rot sets in.
Kuala Lumpur, once the kings of Malaysian soccer, are now back to the
days of struggle. But don't let players make a mockery of the association
who used to take pride in being a role model.

Stand up for their rights (The Malay Mail)

MALAYSIAN footballers are paying a heavy price for not knowing their
rights.
 Despite the fact that Malaysian soccer has gone professional for several
years now, there are still many cases of players being exploited by State
FAs.
 There are many players without a job this season because they have been
dropped despite having existing contracts. And these are men whose
livelihood is playing football.
 These players also have had their contracts terminated without being
compensated.
 Basically, this is the consequence of players not knowing their rights
and not having adequate protection as a result. This, despite having the
Players' Status Committee, setup by the FA of Malaysia, to turn to.
 As a result, more State FAs are acting unprofessionally, treating the
players like so much extra baggage when it suits them.
 States have the right to terminate contracts, but in most cases they do
not offer any compensation which is the player's right.
 Not many players are aware that the FAs have to honour the contract up
to a certain point and not deny the player his dues.
 For example, an injured player is allowed to be absent from training and
from performing his obligations under the agreement, for a period stated
in the medical certificate up to 30 days, during which time he shall be
paid full salary.
 In his absence for the next 60 days, he shall be entitled to 50 per cent
of his basic salary.
 Of late, many States have terminated the contracts of players because
they want to effect changes to the team.
 The FAs have the right to make changes, but proper procedure must be
followed. The players should not be exploited in the process.
 But more often than not, players are dropped without any discussion or
an amicable settlement.
 Sadly, the players, ignorant of their rights, do nothing about it and
start looking for another team to join.
 And if they subsequently decide to seek compensation, the FAs throw the
book at them, saying the players, in not attending training, had
effectively failed to fulfil their contracts.
 There are players who know their rights and have collected settlements
for the termination of their contracts from the State FA or through the
Players' Status Commit- tee, but they are a minority.
 Players have to learn to protect their own rights. Nobody else will.

CONDITIONS OF THE TERMINATION CLAUSE
 a) The agreement expires and ceases to have any force on 31st December
of each year under Clause I (which is the period of the contract) unless
renewed or extended for a further period.or
 b) The agreement may be terminated at any time by mutual consent of the
State FA and the player, subject to terms and conditions agreed between
them.
 c) The agreement may also be terminated by the State FA by giving one
month's notice or one month's salary in lieu of such notice.
 d) The agreement many be terminated by the State FA without notice if
the Player is dismissed summarily under Clause 4 (Discipline and
Disciplinary reasons as listed in the contract) or ...
 1) If the player is suspended from playing football for more than three
months;
 2) If the State FA's medical officer certifies that the player is
permanently disabled;
 3) If the medical officer certifies that the player is unfit to play for
a period of 90 days or more.
                               (END)

Get rid of the dole mentality! (The Malay Mail)

AS long as State FAs depend on handouts from the FA of Malaysia to run
their associations, Malaysian soccer is going to take a long time to reach
even Asian standards.
It was typical of the State FAs to declare they were eagerly awaiting
Feb 8 when FAM will announce the grant for the new season.
They hope the present RM750,000 will be increased to more than RM1
million as the national body have secured a RM175 million five-year
sponsorship deal with Dunhill.
It is fine for FAM to assist their affiliates but it is not fine for the
State FAs to depend solely on the grant to plan their season.
The grant was RM300,000 in the late 80s during the semi-professional
stage but has over the years reached RM750,000.
Some State FAs have spent the money wisely but many have wasted it on
luxuries and unnecessary things.
The grant also includes money for development but many States have
either neglected the area or have just organised age-group tournaments or
paid the expenses of youth teams to national tournaments and called it
development.
It is about time FAM thought about making State FAs stand on their own
feet and stop giving them big handouts.
The professional concept has to enforced and there is no room for
charity.
Let the State FAs who have strong foundations and professional setups
play in the main league while the inefficient and wasteful ones play in an
amateur league until they are ready to move up.
Unless and until State FAs are prepared to run their association like a
business venture, they should stay out of professional soccer.
FAM can still help out the States, but with lesser amounts to teams who
are not working towards professionalism.
FAM should also consider giving grants, if they insist on giving it,
based on the team's previous season's finishing in the League.
At least this way, the grant will be like a reward for reaching a
certain standard.
FAM would be spending the money better by being directly involved at the
schools level where a solid foundation can be laid for the future.
Currently, State FAs are expected to work with their State School Sports
Council, but hardly any concrete work is done.
Many of their involvments stop at giving small grants to the Sports
Council.
The problems states had when they got RM700,000 were no different from
when they got RM300,000.
And it will not be any different when RM1 million or even more is doled
out.
Malaysia is the envy of many a country, including Australia who came so
close to qualifying for the World Cup this year.
They too have a professional league but their clubs have to fend for
themselves.
Most Australian players in their National League are paid much less than
in Malaysia and yet, they have a better national team.
The underlying factor is a professional approach at all levels, emphasis
on development and having a common goal and not having individual agendas.
We can only hope at least this year, with the prevailing economic
situation, the State FAs will spend the grant prudently.
                            (END)