KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 — Each member of the national Under-22 football team received RM25,000 from FA of Malaysia president Tunku Ismail Ibrahim for having qualified for the 2018 AFC Cup Under-23 finals in China.
And there are more rewards in store should they win the gold medal at the SEA Games when the football competition begins on August 14.
“If the players grab gold, we definitely will give them more rewards,” promised Tunku Ismail.
“It depends, if they grab the gold and make the country proud, we definitely will reward them more as they deserve it,” added the Johor Crown Prince.
“But I also do hope the Sports Ministry will give rewards to the players as well, don’t just keep depending on me as money won’t fall out from the sky,” he said after meeting the SEA Games football and futsal players at the St. Regis hotel yesterday.
In earlier reports, FAM general secretary Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin had revealed that each player and official of the Under-22 team will receive a RM6,000 cash incentive as per a pledge made by FAM.
However, when asked on the specific target for the SEA Games, Tunku Ismail declined to put pressure on the players.
“Expectation (from the nation) is very high but I refuse to put pressure. I just want them to play with an open mind and motivate them.
“However, there’s a lot of positive outcomes recently. I hope and wish for the best. So far our preparations are good,” he added.
Tunku Ismail sidestepped the question of the future of Under 22 coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee whose contract will end in December.
Tunku Ismail said he won’t judge the whole team too quickly.
“I care about long term success. We do have our KPI for coach Kim Swee, including for the SEA Games,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, Kim Swee breathed a huge sigh of relief when all but one of the 27 players of his SEA Games squad reported for centralised training yesterday.
Only Tommy Mawat Bada, a winger from Sarawak, was absent but he is to check in tomorrow after sorting out some family matters.
Kim Swee saw in the full turnout a harbinger of things to come. Previous attempts to get a full court were hampered by clubs’ reluctance to release players needed for critical matches in the domestic league.
The coach said now with a full turnout he has enough time for a team evaluation ahead of the Games.
“In these few weeks, what I need to focus more on is their fitness,” said the Melaka-born coach.
“Some players might be tired from their commitment to their clubs and I need to give them enough rest.
“I also have more choices this time to choose the best players for the Games.”
Asked about prospects of winning the gold medal, Kim Swee said he agreed with FA of Malaysia president Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim on the need to be realistic.
“Not our KPI to get a gold medal but we also know our team well. When you play as the host, you are definitely eager for the gold medal.
“Thus we indeed want that (gold medal) to happen — it’s not just a dream,” he said.
