The ‘Malaysian way’ syndrome

Friday, July 19, 2013 - 10:46 (The Malay Mail)      

by Tony Mariadass

WHAT is it with foreign coaches and Malaysian sports associations?
The latest to experience Malaysian “in-hospitality” is national hockey coach Paul Revington, who, after having resigned before the World League semi-final in Johor Baru, has agreed to stay for the championship.
And on Tuesday, Revington was persuaded to fulfil his contract which ends in August next year.
Revington is not the first foreign coach to face problems working in Malaysia, as many others in various sports had had similar encounters and either left in a huff , terminated their contracts or were amicably dismissed by the sports associations.
I can remember as far back as 1986 when national soccer coach from England, Frank Lord, left with a game in hand in the pre-World Cup tournament in Seoul after the FA of Malaysia management decided not to entertain his request to extend his contract before the match.
Malaysia had defeated Korea 1-0 at home and needed only a draw in the away match to qualify for the next round, but FAM decided that they could do it without Lord. They named Mohamad Bakar as the coach and recalled the late Datuk Mokhtar Dahari from retirement for the match.
Malaysia lost 2-0 to Korea. To this day, I believe Malaysia would have got a draw in Seoul and qualified for the next round with Lord at the helm.
Lord had this to say about working in Malaysia before he left: “Malaysia is a beautiful country, warm and friendly people, great food and places to visit, but definitely not a place to work in sport.”
The list of foreign coaches who exited the Malaysian coaching scene, frustrated at not being given a free hand or forced out by the associations, is indeed long.
Among the notable ones are badminton’s Morten Frost (Denmark), Park Joo Bong and Yoo Yong Sung (Korea), Li Mao (China) and Rexy Mainakay (Indonesia), soccer’s Trevor Hartley (England) and George Knoble (Holland), Claude Le Roy (France) and the late Bertalan Bisskek (Hungary), and athletics’ Daniel St Hilaire (Canada).
Revington was quoted as saying: “I never experienced such situations when coaching in South Africa and Ireland. So it came as a culture shock and the fact that something that should have been resolved in about three weeks took five months was also a bane for me.”
Granted, foreign coaches have to understand the local culture and make adjustments, but when this means compromising on work ethic, it is indeed baffling.
Why must Malaysian sports associations or the National Sports Council hire foreign coaches, pay them well, with perks thrown in, only to tell them to do things the Malaysian way? How then will they be able to impart their expertise to the players and local coaches?
The associations should just hire local coaches, who come much cheaper, and get them to work the way the administrators want them to.
If Revington or other foreign coaches had problems working in Malaysia, it probably had to do with their personality, but when we have a string of them crying foul for the same reasons — interference from the administrators, lack of support from the local coaches, revolting players, the unfulfilment of the terms of contract, among others — we have to take a hard look at ourselves.
Is there something wrong with our sports officials? Are local coaches intimidated by foreign coaches? Are players shying away from regimented training and playing politics?
Foreign coaches are not here to stay. They will leave when their contracts end. So shouldn’t we tap their experience and knowledge so that local coaches can become better?
It is time the authorities who hire these foreigners acted more professionally.
More often than not, they do not take the trouble to understand what makes these coaches tick and how they work.
By the same token, the foreign coaches have to respect our culture. There have been cases where they were problematic, but we have to follow procedures when dismissing them. If local sports officials had dealt with matters, however trivial, properly, they would not have run into problems.
Why ruin it when we have a good thing going for Malaysian sport?
Local sports offi cials should stop playing politics, taking the side of players or officials and promoting their own agenda.

REVINGTON: Not the first foreign coach to be facing problems working in Malaysia

At the end of the day, sport is bigger than any individual.
With mutual respect, working towards a common goal and leaving politics and bickering out of the equation, Malaysian sport will surely see better times.
Let us not tarnish our image in the eyes of foreign coaches.

Miscued mission for excellence

Friday, July 12, 2013 - 12:37 (The Malay Mail) 

Location: 

KUALA LUMPUR

GRANTED, schools are the nurseries of sport, but are student athletes being overtaxed? Judging by the number of meets they are involved in, they could be in danger of burning out.

CLOSING CEREMONY: The Malaysia Games draws about 80 per cent student participation annually

Besides the annual school activities — inter-class, inter-house, inter-district and national championships — these athletes also compete in many local and international multi-sport events.
At district level, a total of 805,088 students are involved yearly while at state and national levels, it is 100,636 and 12,154 respectively.
At the recent 16th Malaysia Games, easily 80 per cent of the participants were school athletes.
When the Games was introduced in 1986, it was an open-age event. But as it duplicated the various national championships, an age limit of under 23 was introduced. This was later reduced to under 21 and now there are plans bring it down to under 19.
The objective of the Games was to enable the hosts to acquire new sports facilities and unearth fresh talent, especially among school leavers aged 19 to 21.
The point is, while student athletes who find places in tertiary institutions can participate in the Games, those who do not continue their studies are left in the wilderness.
So too are those who go to colleges. There are about 500 colleges in Malaysia, but the majority of them do not promote sport and do not have the facilities.
Thus, the Malaysia Games continues to survive on the supply of athletes from schools, which does not augur well for the development of sport in the country.
International meets for school athletes this year include the Australian Youth Olympic Festival, Asian Youth Games, Asean Schools Games, 21st Little Athletics International and the inaugural Asian Schools Track and Field championships, not to mention the various Asian schools championships for soccer, rugby, athletics, table tennis, swimming and tenpin bowling, to name but a few.
Apart from burnout, there is also the issue of students missing school due to their involvement in sport. Athletes from sports schools easily miss about 70 days of school due to training and competition.
While it is good news that top athletes in schools are getting ample exposure through competition, it must not exhaust them or cause them to neglect their studies.
Yet, the vacuum in the 19 to 21 age group has to be addressed.
True, athletes are coming through from the universities, the Games organised by the Malaysian Universities Sports Council (for public universities), the Polytechnic Sports Council, the Community College Sports Council, Private Institutions of Higher Education Sports Council and the Malaysian Institution of Higher Learning Games (SUKIPT), but a lot more needs to be done to widen the athlete base and reduce the burden of students.
It is pointless to organise Games for the sake of organising them or competing in competitions for the sake of competition. Millions of ringgit are being spent in the name of sport and there has to be accountability and returns without overtaxing school athletes.

Now everyone can comment!

I cannot understand for the life of me what critics, journalists and even senior sports officials want out of national soccer coach Datuk K. Rajagobal.
Is it is resignation?
He has been bombarded from all corners of late and every move he makes is being criticised.
Rajagobal who was recently hailed as a national hero for transforming Malaysian soccer with some decent performances and achievements, is now public enemy number one to some.
Just take the national team's latest training trip Down Under.
From the moment the trip was announced, he was criticised for picking Australia as the destination and the teams which the national team were sparring with.
Then when the team lost the first match, he was again criticised for losing to a "part-time" team.
So since when did part-timers became bad footballers or did all the professional players become professionals without playing as amateurs. 
Does that mean that Malaysian soccer players who are professionals as good as other professional players in other countries. How come then we are ranked so lowly?
Some were said to be embarrassed by the loss. Winning and losing is part of the game.
Then when the national team won their second game, not much was said and with the latest loss, the knives are out again.
What irks me is that all these people who write and criticise are not qualified people to make comments.
They are neither coaches or technical people, have any back ground in team management and I do not even know if some of them have kicked a football in their life.
Now everyone is an expert in the game!
So who are these people to make judgements and make calls?
Do they have hidden agendas, or are instructed by someone who has an agenda to make all these half baked criticisms?
Do tell me that they are seriously interested in the performance of the national team and are the ones who can turn the national team into world beaters and bring their ranking below 100 overnight!
Seriously, I don't know whether to laugh at some of the calls made in the writings and criticisms, or think that there is an big agenda to get rid of Rajagobal.
By all means sack Rajagobal if he does not deliver at the end of his contract, but to be finding fault at every move he makes, is indeed childish and unprofessional.

Rajagobal with Arsene Wenger

Earlier, it was a statement Rajagobal had ridiculed the foreign players policy in Malaysia and the game itself,  and they were hounding him until the FA of Malaysia Disciplinary Board found that he was not at fault.
Do these so called wise men of the game know how to prepare a team for a championship? In the run-up coaches want to play weak opponents, medium strength opponents, tough opponents and teams who play different styles so as to get the team exposed to all sorts of situations.
In line before the Asian Cup challenge, the national team has matches against Chelsea and Barcelona. Are these matches not enough?
And what is the priority? To win all friendly matches? What about trial and error?
Or is it that Rajagobal's name is not Robert or Rahman?
What has happened to making local coaches standing out and be equals if not better than foreign coaches?
What about the much publicised 1Malaysia in the country?
Rajagobal is a Malaysian and let us be proud of  that.
And let us value his contributions.
If at the end of the day, he fails to deliver what he has promised, then he has to go.
But stop checking him for every step he makes. Let him do his job.
And if there needs to be any observations made on Rajagobal's performance so far, let it come from someone reputable and knowledgeable of the game. Not fellow coaches, arm chair critics or journalists who have the fainted clue of the technicalities of the game.
These views is not about supporting Rajagobal, but made because of the unprofessional atmosphere which is clouding him.
Sometimes and more often then not, many critics fail to look at the root of the problem and look for scapegoats.
The truth of the matter is that Malaysian soccer generally has a long way to go to even becoming top in Asia is always forgotten and instead dreams of being world beaters overnight is being fantasied by the dreamers.
Let us get our system right from the grassroots and work upwards with a realistic goal.
There has been some good planning for the current team to have reached where it has now, but much more can be done and on a consistent and long term basis.
So let us pinch ourselves to give that realistic check and talk soccer which makes sense and not make a fool out of ourselves.

 

Karthiravale, football and hockey's siufu passes away

The sport of soccer and hockey has lost a very knowledgeable and valuable man in S. Kathiravale when he passed away yesterday morning at the age of 83.

The former teacher who had the rare distinction of being an international soccer referee and hockey umpire has been involved in the games for more than 40 years.

He was a rare quality of officials who are hard to come by these days.

The ever-friendly Kathiravale was not only knowledgeable in the rules of  both soccer and hockey, but he was a great official who hardly got into any controversies because of his style of application of the rules, his approach to the players, many of whom he knew by name, even cracks a joke to diffuse situations and hardly gave room for his decisions to be questioned.

His hallmark in the game was the way he blew with a shrieking blast, that anyone passing would recognise the blow and associate to Kathiravale.

I had known Kathiravale for about 40 years from my playing days when I had the honour of playing with him as a referee in the local league in the 70s and later become a good friend as a sport journalist.

He was my 'guru" to the game as a journalist, for whenever I had a doubt or needed clarification, I would seek his expertise. He always obliged me even at times when I called him late in the night.

I can remember the countless times I have sat with him in various Stadiums around Malaysia, especially at the Merdeka Stadium during matches when he was the match inspector to pick his brains on decisions of referees and the rules of the game.

And Kathiravale was an excellent teacher because he has a joke for about everything he explains which makes it difficult for one to forget what he has imparted.

I remember the times when I had laughed at his jokes till tears flowed from my eyes.

He was such a lively person and delight to be in his company.

Even after having left the Malay Mail in 2006, I still kept in touch with him and even two weeks before he passed away I had called him to ask him about the abandoned FA Cup match between Pahang and Johor Darul Takzim and how  I wished present officials could have explained the situation and what needed actions needed to be taken like him.

And when I got a message yesterday morning that he had passed away, I was shocked because he did not show any sign of ill health in the conversation with me. He was his jovial self besides being sharp and witty.

Karthiravale with Datuk Peter Velappan (left) and N. Thanabalan

I also remember when I invited Kathiravale to be the advisor and match commissioner for the inaugural Ex-International Veterans Invitational soccer 9s in 2011 in September in conjunction with the Malaysia Day.

Karthiravale (left) at the Team Manager's meeting

He never stopped thanking me for remembering him and still valuing his expertise. He was even more happier that he could meet up with ex-internationals whom he had officiated in matches they played during their heydays.

He even met Tengku Mahkota of Pahang who the guest-of-honour for the tournament and exchanged some words.

Karthiravale at the Ex-Internationals Soccer Dinner

Kathiravale's passing is indeed a great loss to the game and I for one will miss him very much and will find it hard to find a replacement to pick some one's brain on the rules of the game.

May his soul rest in peace and I am very sure he will be happy to be in the company of his great friends in the game and equals with him as an icon of sport in referees like Singapore's George Suppiah who passed away in December at 83 and Selangor Koh Guan Kit who passed away three years ago.

If Kathiravale was alive, he would have joked: "With so many ex-international players and referees passing away, we should be able to host a World Cup up there in the heavens!"

That will be Kathiravale for you. He will make one smile even at the saddest news!

Goodbye dear Karthiravale.



For the record:

Was born in 1921 in Seremban, Negri Sembilan

Teacher for 31 years until he retired in 1990

 Was awarded the AFC Distinguished Service Award – Gold Star recipient earlier this year.

Inducted into the Olympic Council of Malaysia’s Hall of Fame last year. 

Recipient of the FIFA 100th Year Special Service Award in 2004.

FIFA International Referee between 1971 and 1980, AFC International Referee Instructor from 1975 to 2000 (one of the first three AFC instructors) and FIFA International Referee Instructor from 1986 to 2000.

At the continental level, Kathiravale officiated the final match between Iran and Korea Republic in the 5th Asian Cup in Bangkok, Thailand in 1972 and the inaugural Women’s Asian Cup final between Thailand and New Zealand in 1975 in Hong Kong.

Kathiravale was an official not only in football but also in hockey and is always remembered as perhaps the only Malaysian who officiated in two Asian Games finals in two sports.

In 1974, he was the umpire for the India and Pakistan hockey final in the 7th Asian Games in Tehran, Iran. Four years later, in 1978, he was senior linesman in the 8th Asian Games football final between Korea Republic and DPR Korea in Bangkok.

 He was an international FIH umpire for 11 years - 1968-1979.

He was one of the two Malaysian umpires (the other being Datuk G. Vijayanathan) who officiated in the 1975 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur.

Kathiravale was also the referee for the Japan-Korea Republic qualification match in Tokyo, Japan for the 1978 FIFA World Cup.

He has served not only as an umpire and referee, but also as a technical official, tournament director and instructor.

He has also played hockey with TPCA and is a life member of the association.Read the article in AFC's website on the passing of  Karthiravale: http://www.the-afc.com/en/about-afc/afc-departments/referees/26154-afc-condoles-kathiravale’s-demise.html

Jumping from the frying pan into the fire

Privatise teams by next year or missing out on M-League.

The FA of Malaysia M-League privatisation committee chairman Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin, who is currently the FA of Malaysia competitions committee chairman and vice-president of FA of Malaysia who had been tasked to restructure the league had this warning to give to all State FAs.

Read what appeared in today's New Straits Times: Ultimatum to state FAs http://www.nst.com.my/sports/soccer/ultimatum-to-state-fas-1.293160?cache=03%3Fpage%3D0%3Fpage%3D0%3Fpage%3D0%2F7.192560%2F7.201832%3Fpage%3D0

His warning came prior to his first official meeting next week to discuss about the privatisation of the League.
But really, State FAs have to privatise their teams?
Where are the State FAs going to find potential sponsors or people who have the means to manage a soccer team overnight.
In any case, has it not been all this while that Malaysian soccer had ruled out club soccer because ours is based on States and this has been the tradition.
Just look at the number private clubs who have competed in the M-league and folded because they could not afford in the end, or their CEOs or chairmen's of the corporate team changed and the one officer is no longer interested in spending money on football.
The M-League going independent in 2015?
Has the M-League not been managed Malaysian Super League (MSL) not too long ago. What happened to it?
Now who has the means and expertise to manage the M-League for 2015. What guarantee is that the new body is not going to drag Malaysian soccer further into the doldrums. Can they do better that FA of Malaysia despite some of their shortcomings at times.
But the bigger question is the State FAs.
Privatising teams is nothing new to Malaysian soccer.
Remember Penang managed by Mutiara Antara Sdn Berhad in 1994 when the M-League went fully professional, They folded within two years and leaving huge debts.
What about Ringgit Kreative with Kelantan.
And fresh on the minds is Rising Sun Travel and Tours Sdn Bhd who came in to manage Kuala Lumpur with a promise of RM 2 million, but last week decided to pull the plug after only pumping in RM500,000 citing that the team is doing badly!
Is it going to be any different with more teams expected to privatise their teams. How teams can privatise their teams? Will the teams not getting themselves into more trouble?
What will happen to the respective FAs when their teams are privatised? What will be their role or contribution? Youth development? 
Anyway, how are these privatised teams going to communicate with FA of Malaysia? Through the State FAs? Is that going to work.
Or is FA of Malaysian going to change their rules to allow privatised clubs to deal directly with them. Yes, Hamidin may say that they will deal with the new body which is running the M-League. But is this all not going to be messy!
State FAs are suppose to set up private subsidiaries. Is there not enough problems just with the FAs managing the teams as it is.
Penang and Malacca, once kingpins of Malaysian soccer this year are playing in the FAM Cup competition - a competition for clubs - after relegation from the Premier League! They get to privatise and play in the M-League?
In any case what is Penang and Malacca doing in FAM Cup league. If State FAs like them cannot survive the M-League, what chance will privatised teams have. History have proven that it does not work.
Why can't the existing State FA system be improved to become more professional and work with this proven model - based on State classification.
After all if teams like Kelantan, Selangor, Johor, Pahang and even Armed Forces have proven that they can manage the team well under the present system with their professional approach, why change?
Would it not be better to come up with ideas like asking State FAs to have more corporate leaders and sponsors sit in their Council instead officials who just make up the number, warm the seats and reaps benefits like travelling with the team and collecting bonuses sitting in the Council for ages!
How about asking individuals from the respective States or club owners from the State FA who are their affiliates and interested to sit in the Council to bring with them sponsors  worth say RM50,000 per year for Council member seats, RM100,000 for vice-president seats, RM500,000 for deputy president post and maybe RM1 million for president's post for starters.
This way every member in the Council is accountable for the money they bring in and the team's spending and performance.
Of course, above this the Council as a team will still have to work bring in the bigger sponsors.
Would it not be a better way to ensure that there is professionalism and accountability in the management of the teams?
Certainly better that privatising the teams! Just look at Kuala Lumpur FA of an example how things can go wrong.
For all we know, with the privatising of teams, we could just be inviting more "bad hats" to manage our teams and manipulate them to their wills and fancy.
Malaysian soccer with such past rich history, certainly does not deserve to be dragged down the dirt road any further.
Any major decisions taken, has to be taken by officials who have their heart and soul  in the game for all the right and NOT wrong reasons.
We need professional decisions and to be based on the history of the game in the country and not just make cosmetic changes just to look pretty from the outside, but stink to high heaven inside!
I hope the State FAs themselves stand up for their rights over the game and not just be sold out!
For the sake of the game, let us play fair and professional!
 

Aaliyah's dream to be a world champion

Aaliyah Hanifah Yoong only turns 10 in July, but she dreams to be a waterski tricks event world champion oneday.

A fortnight ago, Aaliyah improved on her personal best score to 4740 points in the IWWF Waterski World Cup in Palembang, which saw her move up in the world rankings for Open Women Tricks from top 100 to top 70.

But everything comes with a price. In the case of Aaliyah, she has to make immense sacrifices and is not able to do what all nine year-olds want to do - have fun and be free.

Aaliyah has a dream and she is committed to achieve it through sheer dedication, discipline and determination.

With her father Hanifah Yoong and mother Nozeela (Nozie) Sulaiman, both involved in the sport and supporting her all the way, Aaliyah's dream looks certain to be acheived.

Aaliyah also has her younger brothers Aiden seven and Adam five, already following her footsteps.



Water babies....Aiden, Adam and Aaliyah

Aaliyah besides her father and mother, also has her half-sister, Philippa Yong, who is 33 years-old but starting water skiing at 10 together with her brother Alex Yoong, to spur her on.

This is how champions are made. Not overnight! There has to be a lot of pain before the gain.

But what nine-year-old Aaliyah is displaying to achieve her dream is rare among Malaysian sportsmen and women. If only we can have more Aaliyahs in the other sports.

Nicol David too went through the same path and it is little wonder she is a world champion!

Can we have more Nicols and Aaliyahs?

Click on this TV3 Scoreboard interview for an inspiring interview.

2013-05-13 Aaliyah Yoong Hanifah - TV3 Scoreboard Report

 Read The Star report here: http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2013/5/27/sports/13162906&sec=sports

Aiden and Adam in action.

Aaliyah takes to the pool as a six-month old  baby

KJ's way!

Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar, the new Youth and Sports minister has scored full marks in his first week in office.

The 37-year-old Khairy has said all the right things, addressed situations the right way and is definitely a fresh breath for sports in the country.

Today as the new Youth and Sports Minister, he tasted his first winning outting in Malaysian sports against an Asia Pacific field at the 30^th Malaysian Ladies Amateur Open Championship at the KLGGC, when Kelly Tan won the title warding off a strong challenge from Filipinas, Princess Superal and Cyna Rodrique who finished joint second.

Khairy after presenting the trophy to team champions, Philippines

“It is good to taste some success today, after some difficult beginning in office where I had to deal with the badminton’s failure in the Sudirman Cup and the bribery allegations in soccer,” said Khairy at the Press Conference at KLGGC.

“In fact, I was joking with some of my staff that it is not a good time for me to become a Sports Minister when we have an ageing Nicol David and Lee Chong Wei and no new talents rising to give any indications that they can step into the shoes of these two.”

However, Khairy was quick to add that he is up for the challenge and believes there are many young athletes in many sports waiting to move up in ranks.

Khairy said that it is good that the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) has taken responsibility and promised to makes changes which include a change of guard.

“I am glad that the BAM have responded positively after my meeting with them because the association has to take the necessary steps. I cannot be making decisions for them.

“We need more associations to be accountable and look into ways to move forward with a new breed officials and athletes if necessary.”

Khairy said that the National Sports Council has a good development programme and he will be speaking to Datuk Seri Zolkples Embong, the director-general, to see how things can progress from here.



Press Conference (from left to right) NSC Director-general,  Datuk Seri Zolkples Embong,Youth and Spors Minister YB Khairy Jamaluddin, HH Tunku Puteri, Tunku Puan Sri Dato' Jawahir  (Malga President)  and Dato Rabeahtul Aloha Abbas (Malga Executive-Director)

It is without doubt that Khairy will take the path to engage all parties in sports and chose the correct path together to see sports in Malaysia move up to a higher level generally.

It is easier said than done, but all associations must take the cue from Khairy to be proactive, innovative, productive and accountable.

What we do not need is associations who look at the Sports Ministry and NSC as their cash cow, but instead start working on their own to manage their associations and their athletes well and above all act professionally.

On speculations that badminton players were keeping late nights and gambling, Khairy said that the association cannot pass the buck to the players.

“These players are young. They need to be guided. If they are still indiscipline, then associations have to take the harsh decision to drop them and bring in the players who are knocking on the doors.

“It is no use relying on the same players and each time there is a failure, blaming the players. As experienced and elder officials, they should have guided those players better and replace them if necessary and not condone them and then blame then when things do not go right.”

Khairy certainly did not mince his words and it was wise words for the sports fraternity.

Here is one minister who is young, has bright ideas, engages people for ideas and results, and takes the bull by the horns.

It is only hoped that he continues and end his tenure at the Youth and Sports minister just the way he has started.

He does not need people hanging around him with ideas to benefit themselves or people trying to impress him with ulterior motives.

Khairy should stand on his own and only engage the sports associations themselves to make the difference and move forward towards excellence.

There is too much negativity in the sports arena in Malaysia, and we need some positive charge  – Khairy is here to give that positive charge and let us use it in the direction to make Malaysian sports something to be proud again.

Khairy with HRH Tunku Ampuan Negri Sembilan , Tuanku Najihah (Royal Patron of the Malaysian Ladies Golf Association) and HH Tunku Puetri Tunku Puan Sri Dato' Seri Jawahir (Malga President)