The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) plans to privatise the Malaysian League in 2011 if the problems that plagued contending teams continue to persist next year.
This was disclosed by FAM secretary-general Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad to Bernama. He cited financial woes (staff and players' salaries), drop in the quality of the game and dwindling audience as some of the problems.
But, is that the best move? Privatised to whom ? Sometimes privatization works and an example would be the English Premier League, managed by EPL.
In the case of FAM, the first step would be for the national body to admit that the structure is not working they need expert help to change things. FAM should learn from China and Myanmar.
China was dissapointed when their team faild to make it to the World Cup and thus wanted a revamp of the league and they got experts to help analyse and propose changes which they were very willing to implement.
Last month a team of expert from FIFA conducted a study of the structure, format, management and other aspects of the Chinese Professional League (CPL). The study was facililated by the FIFA Development Office in Kuala Lumpur, situated next to FAM.
The expert met with all the stake holders of the 16 team league and looked at the teams, the difference of pints between teams, structure and also the support leagues as well as the reserve competition.
They look at the rules, qualification of coaches and facilities of each team - to see if they have what iot take to qualify as a professional team. An important area the team analysed in the player development because leagues are supposed to help develop players.
The experts made their proposals and it is learnt that China FA plans to implement them immediately. The team will be doing a second round of assesment in November.
What FAM needs now is for experts ar consultants to make an assesment and make a commitment to carry out the proposals. In fact, the time is right now for the league to be run by a pro-set up, possibly headed by a consultant who reports only to the Executive Committee.
Myanmar also go expert help to and have started a competition as a prelude to officially launhing the Myanmar Professional League next year. Soon Myanmar would a a difficult team to beat.
According to Azzuding, next season will be the FAM's last battle ground to find our way out of the quagmire.
"As a result, we have introduced additional conditions to contending teams," he told Bernama.
Among them, the teams would have to pay a deposit to the FAM and produce proofs of their financial standing that would enable them to compete in the current season and the next one.
Contenders in the Super League have to fork out RM150,000 while that of the Premier League, RM100,000.
Super League contenders must prove that they have RM2.5 million in their accounts while that of the Premier League, RM1.5 million.
"If all conditions are meet and the teams take serious views of the conditions, the future of soccer in Malaysia is bright," he said.
Asked why the FAM had to wait until 2011 to privatise the league, he said it was due to the Malaysian culture.
"Malaysians like to have a dialogue first and only after enough time is given, they will go to the next stage before an action is taken," he said.
Azzuddin called on state affiliates to use the time left to fill up their coffer and take initiatives to beef up their financial standing.
Dato Azzudin reply is so typical, when asked why it takes such a long time to privatise the league. Let us try and understand what he means by Malaysian culture when he says dialogue before an action is taken.
ReplyDeleteThat sort of a reply is the reason for FAM failure, look there is no sense of urgency at all. So we wait until 2011. Now tell me what happens now in 2009 till 2011? All the clowns in FAM including the good Dato will be drawing their salary and the woes of Malaysian Football will be no better or wiser.
Sure the FAM Board will meet over nice kueh and kopi or teh, there will be furious discussion and nothing will come out of it.
The Sports Minister is a man of action, that we know, but is this the type of action he is expecting? Get serious if it takes uptill 2011 for FAM to get over the so call Malaysian Culture, Malaysian foot ball will go to the Dogs, figuratively speaking of course.