Nazmi set join Beira-Mar

Harimau Muda star Nazmi Faiz is close to joining Portuguese top-flight side Beira-Mar, ESPNSTAR.com has been told.

Earlier this year, Nazmi had been linked with a move to Malaysian owned Cardiff City, however, Harimua Muda coach Ong Kim Swee has revealed that the talented 17-year-old now looks set to land a contract with Beira-Mar who are currently 12^th in Portugal's Primeira Liga.

Nazmi, who is scheduled to fly to Portugal with his father on Sunday, will attend a trial with the Aveiro-based side, before signing a pre-contract deal.

"After a couple of days of speculation in regards to Nazmi heading to Europe, we have now got an agreement between Nazmi and the Portuguese club Beira Mar. He will go for a trial with them from May 14 until May 21," Ong explained.

"This is an excellent development. Nazmi was approached by a scout who officially invited him down for the selection process.  All this has come about because of Nazmi's own efforts, and Beira-Mar have every confidence in his ability."

Despite facing the prospect of losing one of one of his key players in the middle of an S.League season, Ong is adamant that the bigger picture is far more crucial.

"We have to make the sacrifice," he said.

"The S.League is important, but I will never hesitate if any of my players get a chance to play overseas, especially in Europe. It is, after all, Harimau Muda's intent to develop Malaysia's future footballers."

"This is great news in terms of the development of Malaysian football. We hope that Nazmi will cherish the opportunity to play in Portugal's top-flight next season," Ong concluded.

According to strictly enforced FIFA regulations, Nazmi will only be able to sign a professional contract with his new club after turning 18 on August 16.

Wan Zack Haikal and Wan Zaharulnizam, who are both 21, are also expected to move oversees in the very near future, with the pair edging closer to deals with Japanese third division side FC Ryukyu.

Another chance

Nike Malaysia will be giving an opportunity of a lifetime to one aspiring footballer as it launches its elite scouting programme, ‘The Chance’ in Malaysia.

‘The Chance’ is a unique global football talent search that gives young amateur footballers from around the world the chance to prove themselves on an elite stage and to provide them with a platform to take their game onto the highest level.

Players in Malaysia will be given a chance to earn a spot to represent Malaysia at the global finals in Barcelona where they will then be scouted none other by Pep Guardiola, one of the best coaches in the world through a series of training drills which includes Nike’s trademarked Elite 2.0 programme - a training and conditioning system that helps build better athletes.

‘The Chance’ Malaysia is authenticated and sanctioned by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and utilizes licensed coaches, scouts and referees to verify the results.

Harimau Muda Coach, Ong Kim Swee will be making an appearance at The Chance trials in Padang Astaka as he lends his expertise in scouting for players.

Details of The Chance Trials are as below:

Date: 5th May, 2012 (SATURDAY)

Time: 10:00 am

Venue: Padang Astaka, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Philippines planning well

The Philippines national team will take on Indonesia on 5 June 2012 in Manila – four days after playing against ASEAN champions Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. They have also lined up another match against three-times ASEAN champions Thailand a week later although it is still not confirmed.

“I expect some fantastic games, but these are build-up matches for the AFF Suzuki Cup later in the year. This is to study our opponents, we need to make a test here and there to try to do something and also to win because we will be with the strongest team,” said Michael Weiss, the chief coach of the Philippines.

The team will start training for this series of friendlies from 21 May onwards in Bacolod City.

J-League wants to help

Ohigashi with Stuart

J.League Chairman Kazumi Ohigashi has pledged to keep the strong working relationship and partnership with the AFC through more inspection and development projects to improve Japan’s club football.

Speaking at the closing on Tuesday of a development inspection development exercise by a special mission team (SMT) from the AFC Professional Football Development Project, Ohigashi said:

“Since the beginning of the inspection, I understand that the schedule has been challenging. I would like to thank you for the cooperation and hard work. 

“Last year, we received good feedback from our 40 clubs regarding the club licensing programme and we like to have your advice to improve our system. 

“Based on your assessment, we will try our best to improve. In the meantime, through such inspection and development projects, we like to keep this partnership and strong relationship with AFC.”

Director of Club Competitions Stuart Ramalingam, who led the SMT’s development inspection from April 13 to 17, responded to Ohigashi, saying: “We appreciate the warm hospitality during our stay in Japan. 

“We are aware that the J.League takes the Club Licensing Regulations one step higher than what AFC has advised and we appreciate your leadership in this new project. We would like to have continuous support from Japan for the development of professional football in Asia.”

Hammam's last try

Mohamed Hammam will make his final bid to overturn his lifetime FIFA ban from bribery on Wednesday (18/0/12).

The Qatari is taking an appeal against the ban, which was imposed by FIFA's ethics committee in July, to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.

Hammam was banned for life after being found guilty of paying cash gifts totalling nearly 1million US dollars (£630,000) to football officials from Caribbean countries during his FIFA presidential campaign last May.

The 62-year-old, who had also been president of the Asian Football Confederation, failed to overturn the ban at FIFA's appeals committee in September and the CAS panel remains his last chance.

Hammam is not expected to attend the hearing in person but to leave the legal arguments to his lawyers. FIFA will also have their legal team arguing that the bribery charges had been proved and that the lifetime ban was just.

The charges were brought after a special meeting of the Caribbean Football Union in Trinidad on May 11 last year arranged to hear Hammam while on the campaign trail.

According to a FIFA ethics committee report, witnesses said after Hammam's speech, then FIFA vice-president Jack Warner instructed delegates to go to a room to pick up gifts - these turned out to be brown envelopes each containing 40,000 US dollars in cash.

According to the witnesses, Warner told delegates that Hammam 'was the actual source of the money', the report states. Warner resigned from all football activities in June after being charged with bribery.

Hammam pulled out of FIFA presidential contest and Sepp Blatter was re-elected unopposed.

After his lifetime ban, Hammam - who spearheaded Qatar's successful bid for the 2022 World Cup - insisted he would never stop fighting to clear his name.

“I will not rest no matter what tactical delays, forgery or bias are put against me. I will continue my battle until I prove my innocence and that my suspension was a political decision and an absolute abuse of power to deprive me of my right to contest for FIFA presidency.”

The CAS hearing is expected to last for two days with the decision being announced within the next month.

Hammam has also gone to CAS to try stop the Asian Football Confederation replacing him as president.

China's Zhang Jilong was appointed as acting AFC president last summer but the confederation must wait one year from the date of Bin Hammam's provisional ban - May 29 - before holding an election to replace him. - Mail.

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Kenyataan TSAM

13hb April 2012 – Kuala Lumpur

UNTUK SIARAN SEGERA
KENYATAAN AKHBAR OLEH
TAN SRI DATUK SERI PANGLIMA ANNUAR BIN HJ. MUSA

SOKONGAN DAN GALAKAN YANG SAYA TERIMA BARU‐BARU INI DARI KOMUNITI BOLASEPAK AMAT MEMBERANGSANGKAN. KENYATAAN DULI YANG TERAMAT MULIA TENGKU ABDULLAH TIMBALAN PRESIDEN FAM BARU‐BARU INI BAHAWA APA PALING PENTING ADALAH MASA DEPAN PEMBANGUNAN BOLASEPAK DI MALAYSIA MENCERMINKAN DEDIKASI DAN KOMITMEN DYTM TENGKU KE ARAH KEMAJUAN SUKAN BOLASEPAK DI NEGARA INI.

SAYA AMAT BERBESAR HATI BAHAWA SUMBANGAN SAYA KEPADA SUKAN BOASEPAK TELAH MENDAPAT PENGIKTIRAFAN DYTM TENGKU DAN DENGAN HORMATNYA MENERIMA TAWARAN DYTM TENGKU UNTUK MENJADI PENGANTARA UNTUK MENAMANTKAN KEBUNTUAN INI.

SAYA TETAP MENGHORMATI KEPUTUSAN JAWATANKUASA DISIPLIN DAN PROSEDUR FAM TETAPI SAYA PERCAYA JIKA DYTM TENGKU ABDULLAH, DENGAN PENGALAMAN YANG MENDALAM DYTM TENGKU DI FAM, AFF, AFC DAN JUGA FIFA, DAPAT MELIHAT BAHAWA ADA KEMUNGKINAN SUATU PENYELESAIAN ALTERNATIF DAPAT DICAPAI, SAYA AMAT BERBANGGA UNTUK BERKERJASAMA DENGAN DYTM TENGKU UNTUK KEBAIKAN BOLASEPAK MALAYSIA.

ADALAH MENJADI HARAPAN SAYA BAHAWA TAWARAN DYTM TENGKU DITERIMA OLEH MASYARAKAT DAN KOMUNITI BOLASEPAK NEGARA INI SEBAGAI LANGKAH POSITIF YANG MENCERMINKAN KEWIBAWAAN DYTM TENGKU SEBAGAI PEMIMPIN.

SAYA PERCAYA BAHAWA KITA HARUS BERKERJASAMA DENGAN PIMPINAN AFIRMATIF SEDEMIKIAN DAN AMAT BERBANGGA UNTUK BERKERJASAMA DENGAN DYTM TENGKU KE ARAH KEMAJUAN TANPA MENGIRA BATASAN.

PERJALAN KE ARAH KEMAJUAN ADALAH JALAN YANG PANJANG DAN MENDUGA DAN SAYA AMAT BERBANGGA KERANA BERPELUANG UNUTK BEKERJASAMA DENGAN DYTM TENGKU UNTUK MENGEKALKAN INSTITUSI INI SEBAGAI TONGGAK KEMAJUAN BOLASEPAK DI NEGARA MALAYSIA.

DENGAN SEMANAGAT 1FAM, SAYA INGIN MENGUCAPKAN TERIMA KASIH KEPADA DYTM TENGKU ATAS TAWARAN DYTM TENGKU UNTUK MENJADI PENGANTARA DI DALAM KEBUNTUAN YANG
DIALAMI.

SAYA JUGA INGIN MENGAMBIL PELUANG INI UNTUK MENEGASKAN KOMITMEN
BERTERUSAN SAYA KEPADA SUKAN BOLASEPAK DI KELANTAN DAN MALAYSIA.