PETALING JAYA, Dec 10 — The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and National Sports Council (NSC) today announced the formation of the FAM-NSC Project Squad to compete in next season’s Premier League campaign.
This is an effort by FAM and NSC to create a career path for the products of the National Football Development Programme (NFDP), including graduates from the Mokhtar Dahari Academy (AMD), and help the country’s young players make the transition to the senior and professional stages.
The FAM-NSC Project Squad will be the 11th team in the Premier League next season and they will be coached by former national player Yusri Che Lah, with the mission of exposing the players to a competitive tournament.
Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said the career path was crucial to the ecosystem of the country’s football development.
“Players with potential have been suitably identified much earlier by the league teams, but for the late-bloomers, they have a second chance to ensure they are selected to play for the project squad,” he told a press conference at Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya here today. — Bernama
