01 Jun SATHIANATHAN VS FAM

FORMER National Coach B.Sathianathan takes on his former employer – FA of Malaysia for unlawful dismissal. The case will heard at the Shah Alam Labour court at 11.30 am today. Sathianathan who guided Malaysia to win the Merdeka Tournament in 2007 and the finals in 2008, is claiming that FAM’s one month notice is not valid and unacceptable especially when the Key Performance Indicator (KPI’s) was not given to him during the extension of the contract.

JAIHO checked with the legal department in FIFA, and it was revealed that the sacking was not valid and the FAM might have to compensate one year salary including damages claimed by Sathianathan who hails from Muar.

This is the story that I wrote on the day exco decided to sack Sathianathan and Manager Datuk Soh Chin Aun (Jan 2, 2009)

Yesterday, the FAM executive committee, as predicted by Timesport on Saturday, sacked B. Sathianathan as the national coach but what wasn’t expected was Datuk Soh Chin Aun’s removal as team manager.

The problem is the manager of the national team is FAM deputy president Khairy Jamaluddin and not Chin Aun, a situation which left the officials at the press conference rather sheepish.

The press conference started on a routine note, if the sacking of individuals can ever be termed as that, with another FAM deputy president Datuk Redzuan Sheikh Ahmad announcing the decision.

“The exco decided to terminate’s Sathianathan’s contract and also the position of Datuk Soh Chin Aun as the team manager. Datuk (Capt (R)) Gulzar Mohamad is the new team manager,” said Redzuan.
“The committee, chaired by Sultan Ahmad Shah, felt that new blood is needed to bring changes to the national team.”

When pointed out that Khairy, and not Chin Aun, was officially listed as the national team manager, Redzuan responded: “I don’t know how to answer the question. Even though, in our official minutes, it is Khairy Jamaluddin who is the team manager, the job was delegated to Chin Aun.”

Asked what the criteria would be, seeing as FAM had decided new blood was needed not only for the coaching aspect but also of that of the manager, Redzuan said: “At this point in time, we have a set of guidelines and the national team management committee is going to oversee the national team’s movements and performance. As for the next national coach, we will announce the candidate soon.”

K. Rajagopal is expected to be the caretaker coach but Sathianathan, when contacted, said he wasn’t surprised with the decision.

“I expected it and I wish FAM and the players the best. I have no complaints but if I am being sacked because I said the M-League is not football, then I accept the decision in good faith,” said Sathianathan.

“Sacking me is not going to change the fate of Malaysian football if people are not sincere in what they do.”

Chin Aun also looked at it in a philosophical manner.

“Managing Malaysia is not like managing Manchester United. I did it for the love of the game. I played at the highest level for Malaysia but if this is what it is meant to be, I accept,” said Chin Aun.