17 Feb

THE Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) technical committee meets tomorrow to decide on vital matters regarding the state of football in Malaysia. Topping the agenda, the technical committee, which is chaired by FAM deputy president Datuk Redzuan Sheikh Ahmad, must identify a coach for the Under-23 squad. The grapevine has it that K. Rajagopal, who will be in charge of Malaysia's campaign in Laos, has been tipped for the post. But rumours have it that Rajagopal, presently the coach of the Under-19 squad better known as the Young Tigers, prefers to remain at his present position. The team presently head the Premier League...

10:54 / Local / Sports
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16 Feb

THE grapevine has it that the FA of Malaysia is seeking out prospective candidates as it contemplates privatising the Malaysian Super League (MSL). The MSL, FAM has rather belatedly found, is draining its resources and it feels its attention should be on the national teams. Whether it can get anybody to bid is another thing altogether, considering the quality of the MSL. B. Sathianathan lost his job as national coach when he slammed the MSL as "not football" and just days later, Terengganu's Ken Worden described his players as "schoolboys." Most players, after six match days, are still  struggling with their...

10:49 / Local / Sports
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15 Feb

DEFENDING Malaysian Super League (MSL) champions Kedah, who have won two straight matches, take on Kuala Muda Naza tomorrow at the Darulaman Stadium in Alor Star. Kedah, who edged Perlis 1-0 at the Utama Stadium on Saturday, are looking for another win to improve their standings. "Somehow we have moved up from second last position to ninth, but we have a long way to go yet. The players are coming along well but have taken some time to gel," said Kedah coach Azraai Khor Abdullah. Last week, playing at home, Kedah beat KL Plus 2-0, and Azraai believes his players will...

10:44 / Local / Sports
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15 Feb

DESPITE a three-month break, officials appointed by the FAM found the Sultan Mahmud Stadium field in Kota Baru unmarked and grass uncut for the Malaysian Super League (MSL) match between KL Plus FC and Kelantan on Jan3. The FA of Malaysia competitions committee, which met at Wisma FAM yesterday, thus awarded the match to KL Plus 3-0. Yesterday's meeting was chaired by Datuk Che Mat Jusoh, and the competitions committee deliberated long and hard on the report submitted by the referees inspector and match commissioner before reaching their decision. "We went through the report and studied it before making the decision.It...

10:23 / Local / Sports
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11 Feb

FORMER national coach B. Sathianathan has been told by FAM president Sultan Ahmad Shah to explain himself regarding his "M-League is no football" remark. While Sathianathan's stay with FAM comes to an end this month, Sultan Ahmad Shah wants to know what induced the coach to make such a statement. On Monday Perlis FA president Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, came to Sathianathan's defence and urged FAM to stop pointing fingers at the coach. Shahidan reiterated that it is a collective responsibility and FAM must find out why Malaysian football has not progressed for the last 10 years or so."Sathianathan has been relieved...

07:02 / Local / Sports
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11 Feb

THE Ministry of Education's (MOE) Under-14 and Under-17 football competitions begin this Saturday where 15 teams in each tournament with be battling it out for the next six months. But many uncertainties have surfaced from the tournaments that are in their second year. From statistics given at a press conference yesterday which was attended by MOE director general Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom, it is believed that monitoring was poor and that the players lacked basic skills and techniques. Last year, out of 660 players the technical staff identified 20 players from the Under-17 competition and 30 from the Under-14, from which...

03:50 / Local / Sports
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10 Feb

KEDAH coach Azraai Khor Abdullah had better expect the call for it, if it already hasn't, will surely come - the one offering him the job of national football coach. It shouldn't surprise him for it is only natural that the FA of Malaysia makes the offer to the most successful local coach in recent history. So successful that he guided Kedah to back-to-back trebles, raising his stock considerably, but the former national player has a crucial decision to make - to take the offer or say no. It is a job every local coach should aspire for but for the...

03:46 / Local / Sports
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06 Feb

SPORTS Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is expected to face resistance but he is set to appoint former internationals into the several committees that are to be formed as part of the plan to save Malaysian football. Ismail Sabri has already informed the FA of Malaysia of his intention via the delegation led by deputy president Khairy Jamaluddin on Thursday. Some quarters are said to be unhappy with the move but Ismail Sabri has a word of consolation for them - he is aware that some former internationals may be in for personal gain. "I have identified a few areas...

09:12 / Local / Sports
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05 Feb

THE Sports Ministry will adopt the Young Tigers in an effort to relieve the Football Association of Malaysia of its financial obligations. The move will see FAM saving close to RM3 million annually which can be used in other areas. It is learnt that this exercise will go on for at least three years. "The Sports Ministry will take over the management of the Young Tigers from now on. We have a new management and coaching team to take care of the squad. With this move, FAM will just have to concentrate on the national team," said Sports Minister Ismail...

09:01 / Local / Sports
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04 Feb

SPORTS Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will meet a delegation lead by FAM deputy president Khairy Jamaluddin today at the Sports Ministry in Putrajaya to thrash out the ills plaguing Malaysian football. It is learnt that FAM, among other things, will propose a structured development programme, request for a youth director, the Sports Ministry to absorb some of the national teams especially at the youth level, the usage of sports science experts, to base some youth players and teams in Europe and to revive the football academy. FAM will also be seeking a minimum of RM18 million a year to...

09:00 / Local / Sports
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