KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — The Ministry of Youth and Sports will ensure that the proposed collaboration with the owner of English champions Manchester City will come true.
Its minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said last Thursday’s meeting with the English club’s representatives also involved National Sports Council (NSC) director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail and CIMB chief executive officer Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz.
“I was not alone at the meeting. My officers and Manchester City officers were also there; they heard (about club purchase) and before the press conference I told them about speaking on the two matters. It was agreed.
“Some people simply could not accept it. But it’s okay. It means that we have to work hard to deliver, not just that, but also in terms of future collaboration with the National Football Development Programme (NFDP) and Mokhtar Dahari Academy (MDA).
“What I want is for everyone regardless of disagreements to come together to build Malaysian football,” he said today.
Syed Saddiq explained that because of last-minute arrangements, representatives of Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) could not be there at the meeting with the CEO of Manchester City, Ferran Soriano.
“I want to thank CIMB, Tengku Zafrul for the meeting. We will inform FAM about the meeting,” he added.
After the meeting last Thursday, Syed Saddiq had told the press that the owner of Manchester City was considering the possibility of buying one of the football clubs in Malaysia.
It was one of two initial plans discussed by the ministry and the Manchester City delegation led by Soriano when they met at the KBS Tower here.
From the ministry’s perspective, Syed Saddiq was hoping that the collaboration could also give a positive impact on the development of youth through NFDP and the MDA in Gambang. — Bernama
