Don't spoil young ones with cash (18/01/1994 - The Malay Mail)

Publication : MM
Date : 18/01/1994
Headline : Don't spoil young ones with cash


ARE we breeding mercenaries? The cash incentive scheme for school
athletes announced last Tuesday seems to suggest it.
Once these schoolchildren are pampered at an early age, it will be
difficult for them to discard the habit of demanding cash for their
efforts when they progress to the senior state or national teams.
It was announced the athletes will be paid cash rewards for winning
medals or breaking records in track events in state and national
championships.
Under the scheme, from this year until 1998, there will be 5,500 prizes
for the top three winners of the 56 events in three age-groups (Under-20,
Under-16 and Under-12) for boys and girls.
The scheme is part of a RM4 million training and development programme
launched by Caltex Oil Malaysia, which was endorsed by the Education
Ministry.
It was reported that the aim of the scheme is to produce a strong
athletics squad for the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.
School athletes who match the 1990 Commonwealth Games' top three
winning marks in state and national schools meets will be rewarded with
RM50,000, RM30,000 and RM10,000 respectively.
It is all right to reward achievements, but one wonders if the idea
could have adverse effects on our young athletes, who might end up cash-
orientated.
Patriotism will then become a thing of the past.
It would have been more appropriate to channel the funds into schools
or the State Sports Councils to upgrade facilities or hire proper
coaches.
In the scheme, the champion state will get a 115m tartan training
track. More such incentives should have been included instead of
splashing cash on kids.
Alternatively, rewards should be in terms of scholarships.
Already, there are complaints that present day sportsmen and sportswomen
no longer take pride in representing their states or nation.
Undeniably, sport has become more professional. Gone are the days when
athletes ran for the state or country as patriotic representatives.
But there must still be some level of pride in representing the state or
country.
A re-think of the mechanics of the incentive scheme is certainly in
order.

What now, Bakar? (11/01/1994 - The Malay Mail)

Publication : MM
Date : 11/01/1994
Headline : What now, Bakar?

FA of Malaysia's fickle-mindedness has once again put them in spot.
FA of Malaysia vice-president Datuk Bakar Daud's statement on Sunday
that the national soccer body want their national team to compete in the
Asian Games, even if it means paying their way to Hiroshima, only
underlines the uncertainties in what they want.
And it was indeed surprising that Datuk Bakar had given the statement in
the wake of the FA of Malaysia Council's decision last July that they will
not send a team to Hiroshima, even if the Olympic Council of Malaysia
(OCM) give them the go-ahead.
This decision came about after the president of FA of Malaysia, the
Sultan of Pahang, soon after Malaysia's dismal performance in the
Singapore Sea Games in June had said that he saw no reason why the soccer
team should not go to Hiroshima just because of two defeats in the Sea
Games (to Myanmar 1-2 and Thailand 0-2 and failed to reach the semifinals)
as opposed to the team's fine performance in the Jakarta Anniversary
tournament, the Merdeka tournament and the first leg of the pre-World Cup.
However, the Sultan of Pahang changed his mind on his stand after the
advisory committee chaired by him discussed the matter later.
Thoughts
In this meeting, it was pointed out that if the national team were to
compete in Hiroshima, there will be a target set, and they would not be
ready for that yet because the newlook national team will not be ready for
the next two years.
The rationale behind this move was that although exposure is important,
the idea is to focus thoughts on longterm results and set targets only
when the national team are in a position to deliver.
It was said that the new team to be assembled soon will be kept together
for the next five years. Their main target will be the pre-World Cup
qualifying tournament in 1997.
This did not mean that there will be no targets set until 1997, but
while they were not expecting anything substantial for the next two years,
they were looking forward to making an impact in Asian soccer come 1996 in
the Asian Cup.
But all these plans have been blown away, with Datuk Bakar's plea for
the national team to compete in Hiroshima.
The question on everyone's lips is whether we are ready to compete in
the Asian Games, or merely want to compete for the exposure and suffer
another beating which is certainly not going to help our world ranking but
further demoralise the national players.
Or could it be because competing at the Asian Games is glamorous, even
if it means our pride takes a beating.
And are we going to rely on youth players to perform at a high level
competition as the Asian Games, or we are going back to square one by
recalling all the senior players, only to face another debacle and start
crucifying them all over again for no fault of theirs?
If we were really interested and serious about competing in the Asian
Games, we should have started preparing immediately after the Sea Games
debacle and not wait until the 11th hour to join in the bandwagon to
compete in the Games.
Besides, after all has been finalised for the M-League, Malaysia's
participation in the Asian Games will definitely throw a spanner in the
schedule.
Lastly, but not the least, Datuk Bakar's statement has given room for
OCM to shoot them down in the open for no apparent reason, but for their
own folly.
Besides, OCM have already made it very clear since two years ago that
teams or individuals who do not meet the qualifying mark cannot pay their
own way to competitions.
With all these known, it was really puzzling how Datuk Bakar came up
with this statement.
Besides, this view of the soccer team competing in Hiroshima has
certainly not been discussed again after their earlier stand at the
Council meeting.
The next Council meeting is this Sunday, and probably Datuk Bakar has
jumped the gun with his personal thoughts on the matter after the
competitions committee meeting on Sunday of which he is the chairman.
This is not the first time that FA of Malaysia have been seen in the
public as being fickle in their planning because there were other
instances like the Tigers squad which was first formed two years before
the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 and was supposed to have been groomed for
the Games.
But, before anything could happen, the team was disbanded as several
potential players were drafted to the already exisiting national team.
It is still happening. Remember the Barcelona Olympic squad? After 18
months of preparation and millions of ringgit pumped in, where are they
now?
Among the other decisions which seemed fickle-minded are:
Format
* Introducing the three-point system in the inaugural Semi-Pro season in
1989 but reverted to the orthodox system the very next season, before
going back to the three-point system again last year.
* The single format league which was in practice from 1982 to 1989 when
the game went semi-professional with two divisions, now reverts back to
the single format for the M-League this season.
* Introducing the National Club League last year, only to change the
format this year to see only one team from each state competing (with the
exception of KL who have two teams) in the new Amateur League. It would
have been more appropriate to introduce a Reserve League, which is finally
being introduced.
Generally, the FA of Malaysia are trying their level best to upgrade the
standard of the game in the country and to attain a respectable standing
among Asian countries but, more often than not, their path has been
impaired by not getting everyone in the association to think in one
direction or at least come to one common consensus and stick by it!

Wanted man (The Malay Mail)

KEN SHELLITO, Selangor's director of coaching, is being sought by several
States for the inaugural Malaysian League next season.
 Shellito, 53, whose contract with Selangor runs until May, confirmed
several States have indicated interest in him but nothing has been
finalised.
 "I am interested in coaching in the M-League but first I will have to
find out if the FA of Selangor are renewing my contract as director of
coaching," said Shellito, who played several matches for England in the
60s but failed to make the 1966 World Cup team after suffering a serious
knee injury three months before the tournament.
 "Although I enjoy working on the development side, I feel I can
contribute to both the M-League and development," said Shellito.
 Shellito, however, refused to reveal the States interested in him
because there have been just "casual talks" so far.
 Shellito came to Selangor in 1992 when former Selangor manager-coach
Mazlan Harun hired him as director of coaching.
 But towards the end of the season, Mazlan was relieved of his post.
 Shellito was tipped to coach Selangor this season but German Bernd
Schumm was signed on for two seasons.
 Shellito has been active in Selangors development programme and has also
been active as adviser to youth teams in the State.
 He has been conducting coaching clinics at the districts.
 Shellito managed Chelsea from 1977-80 and later, Queen's Park Rangers
and Crystal Palace.
 He was also in charge of development for the Southern part of Coventry
and was in Singapore for a year with a private company specialising in
coaching schools.
Surprising
 It is not surprising that States are interested in Shellito because the
trend is to hire coaches familar with Malaysian soccer.
 Other foreign coaches available are Milous Kvacek (former Kedah, KL,
Singapore and Perak), Michael Urukalo (Johor), Josef Herel (Negri
Sembilan), Ken Worden (Selangor and national) and Ken Morten (Police).
 Former national coach, Chow Kwai Lam, has also has been linked with
severalStates.
 Among the States looking for coaches are Perak, Penang, Perlis, Pahang
and Kelantan.
                              (END)

Need for more professional approach (03/12/1993 - The Malay Mail)

Publication : MM
Date : 03/12/1993
Headline : Need for more professional approach


MALAYSIAN soccer enters a new chapter with the Malaysian League making its
debut next year and, unless State FAs and its officials, players, coaches,
agents and parents exercise total professionalism, the league will be no
better than an amateur league.
The FA of Malaysia, since introducing the Semi-Pro League in 1989, have
made endless efforts to ensure that a professional approach is adopted by
all to prepare for the league to go fully professional, but it has been
five years now and there are still many problems simply because a
professional code of ethics more often than not takes a back seat.
The 1993 season has just ended and already several controversies have
surfaced.
Among the problems which have arose are States trying to get the
services of players who still have more than six months' contract left
with another State; sacking players who still have valid contracts without
concrete reasons or compensations; players with more than six months'
contract left with a State trying to secure deals with another State;
players making deals with several States at the same time; coaches
applying for jobs in States where existing coaches still have a contract,
and parents marketing their sons to other States despite having contracts
with a certain State.
These problems have surfaced every year since 1989 and, despite the
State FAs and their officials being educated on the dos and don'ts year in
and out through seminars conducted by the FAM, most seem ignorant of the
rules and guidelines. Although State FAs come out to say that they intend
to do everything above board, time and again they are at fault.
So much so that contracts signed every year between State FAs and
players hold nothing concrete except just a piece of paper.
Players themselves have to be partly blamed because many really do not
realise what they are signing or what their rights are.
Youth players especially sign long-term contracts without giving it a
second thought because they look very attractive when offered.
But a season or two later, when these players shine and other States
show interest in them, they want out.
State FAs are no better. Many a player have been made to sign blank
contract forms and do not even get a copy of their contract.
State FAs have been known to stop paying wages the moment their team
bows out of the competition, when all contracts are to end at the end of
the year season.
Unless all parties concerned exercise professionalism and adhere to all
rules of signing on and terminating players and coaches alike, it will
just be like a circus for those watching from outside.
It is really amazing and funny how rules are blatantly broken, or people
coming up with deals outside the system by using top level powers or even
arm-twisting tactics.
It should be pointed out than no one is bigger than the game itself and,
unless all measures are taken to ensure everything is done according to
the rules and fairplay is strictly observed, the game will be the loser.

Local status for foreign pros? (The Malay Mail)

PLAYERS from Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei will no longer be considered
foreign pros when they turn out for local clubs in the inaugural M-League,
if a proposal is adopted by the FA of Malaysia.
 This suggestion is one of several to be discussed when the FAM council
meet in Kuching on Friday, said general secretary Datuk Paul Mony.
 "The proposal is to allow free movement of players among the three
countries without categorising them as foreigners," said Mony.
 Singaporeans playing for Malaysian States have been considered foreign
players, using up therefore the three foreign pros quota. Players like
Fandi Ahmad, Malek Awab, K. Kannan (Kuala Lumpur), V. Sundram Moorthy
(Kedah) and Ahmad Paijan (Terengganu), among others, have played for
Malaysian teams before.
 Except for Ahmad, the others have returned to Singapore. However, Johor
signed on Hasnim Haron this season while Armed Forces had A. Devaraj and
A.R.J. Maran.
 It should be pointed out that several seasons ago, Singaporeans with
permanent resident status weren't considered foreign players. That rule
was amended to categorise them as foreigners.
 The proposal opens a new avenue for Malaysian players, especially those
who could be offered contracts by Singapore and Brunei. It was felt that
since the two countries are part of the Malaysian soccer system, the
foreign status should not be imposed on them.
 Other proposals made by the secretaries include:
 * CONSIDER shelving the FA Cup next season because of the hectic League
schedule.
 * FOREIGN players will have to miss a season when they move from one
Malaysian team to another.
 Mony said States are concerned about over-taxing the players if the FA
Cup is held simultaneously with the League.
 "Under the new format, the 16 teams will play 30 matches. That's an
average of six matches a month. As such, the FA Cup will be a burden,"
Mony pointed out.
 There is fear if the FA Cup is enforced, the States may not use their
regulars, thus depriving the competition of the glamour. It was suggested
the League be monitored next year before considering the viability of re-
introducing the FA Cup in 1995.
 Besides, there will be more time from 1995 onwards as the fasting month
will be earlier.
 The competitions committee are, however, in favour of the FA Cup. They
are expected to make alternative suggestions.
                              (END)

The ugly Singaporean (16/11/1993 - The Malay Mail)

Publication : MM
Date : 16/11/1993
Headline : The ugly Singaporean


SINGAPORE are in the Malaysia Cup final. But their achievement would have
been laudable if only their fans had been as disciplined as the team.
I was surprised by the behaviour of the Singapore fans at the National
Stadium on Sunday night.
And this has nothing to do with me being a Malaysian.
My impression of Singapore fans had been one of high spirits and I have
never known them to be hostile towards their team's opponents.
This wasn't the case on Sunday. All right, they were not as hostile as
the fans in Kota Baru but still, it was unbecoming of Singaporeans -
particularly from a modern society - to engage in an exchange of words.
It started when Sarawak brought their crocodile mascot, Bujang Senang,
for the first time away from Kuching. But they didn't reckon on security
being stringent at the stadium.
The mascot was refused entry to the field as the team was about to go in
for their warm-up. But with the help of some Sarawak players, the mascot
was led onto it.
It was then that the Singapore fans clamored for their mascot - the
lion - to join Bujang Senang on the pitch.
Under normal circumstances, this would not have been allowed at a soccer
match. But Sunday was different.
Bujang Senang, on seeing the Lion trooping in, offered to shake hands but
the Lion surprisingly refused. Instead, it turned around and showed its
butt to Bujang Senang.
That sparked a personal duel between the two mascots. The situation was
defused when Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Brig Gen Lee Shein Loo was
invited to meet the players from both sides.
Lee sportingly met the Sarawak players and officials before meeting the
Singapore players.
But when the names of the Sarawak players were announced, the capacity
55,000 crowd jeered.
There was more to come.
The Sarawak players, in a goodwill gesture, kicked souvenir balls to the
crowd after the introduction.
What followed was a very unsporting gesture. The Singapore fans urged
those who were lucky to get the balls to kick them back onto the field.
In the end, the balls given to the ball pickers seated on the tracks.
Surely, Singapore fans could have behaved better.
A Singapore newspaper reported the incident as an attempt by the Sarawak
players to bribe the fans into supporting them. How low can they go?
One Singapore fan from the grandstand even threw a mineral water bottle
at Sarawak coach Alan Vest when he got up from his bench to walk towards
the sidelines.
It may not be serious compared to other incidents in Malaysian stadiums
but what was alarming was that this happened in Singapore.
A veteran sportswriter in Singapore commented: "It is not surprising
because what you witnessed is a suppressed society letting off steam.
"They cannot behave in this manner anywhere else because they will be
hauled up.
"They will be hauled up in the stadium too, but the chances of getting
caught is slim in a crowd of 50,000. It is sad that this is happening in
Singapore."
The writer said it was great to see the National Stadium packed to the
brim again, but it lacked an atmosphere.
"I have been to various stadiums in Malaysia and even with a lesser
crowd but the feeling is more electrifying," he wrote.
"But here, we have the crowd reacting for all the wrong reasons. They do
not even know how to cheer their team."
The last straw was when Singapore FA and Singapore Sports Council
officials treated a group of Malaysian sportswriters without much respect.

What next, Vest? (The Malay Mail)

ALAN VEST, in his three-year tenure, has taken Sarawak from the backwaters
of Malaysian soccer to the forefront.
 If he decides to extend his contract with the Sarawak FA, the
possibility of the East Malaysian State progressing to become a major
force cannot be dismissed.
 But the question most Sarawak fans from Kuching to Miri are asking is:
Will Vest prolong his stay as coach?
 Vest, after having steered Sarawak to runnersup spot in the First
Division and semifinals of the Malaysia Cup this season, might have made
up his mind about his future.
 Or maybe not yet.
 Whatever decision Vest comes up with - his answer to the FA would
probably be sometime this week - it could point to where Sarawak are
heading.
 "I have to seriously think about a few things before giving my answer,"
said Vest after watching his side lose 2-1 to Singapore in the semifinal
second leg at the National Stadium on Sunday.
 Among the `few things' are offers from other States as well as a
national coaching job in another country.
 But Vest stressed that money or the need for a change would not be the
criteria for his decision.
 "I have enjoyed working in Sarawak. They are not only a nice bunch but
also, I was given a free hand as coach, which is a rarity in Malaysian
soccer," said Vest.
 "I have no complaints about the people I work with, but there are other
factors which I must seriously consider."
 He cited these factors as:
 * WHETHER he will be allowed to retain the players he wants and whether
the Sarawak FA can afford them if they seek a hike in salary;
 * WHETHER the FA can afford to sign the replacements he require;
 * WHETHER the present players - the foreigners and three Malacca-born
players - will still be available for Sarawak; and
 * THE fact that anymore infusion of players from West Malaysia might not
go down well with local sentiments.
 Vest said if he were to remain, it would have to be for another three
years.
 "I don't believe in short-term contracts because nothing much can be
achieved in that sort of time," he said.
 "There is still a lot to be done in Sarawak soccer and although I have
been very critical about Sarawak's development programme, I have realised
that this State have a short soccer history.
 "They don't have enough clubs for coaches and players to emerge or a
progressive League to cultivate the interests of players.
 "This is a growing State in soccer and obviously, it will take some time
before it catches up with the rest.
 "There has been a stronger following in recent years and hopefully, this
will mean something."
                              (END)