PETALING JAYA, Dec 14 — The decision by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and the National Sports Council (MSN) to create a FAM-MSN project squad that will compete in the Premier League 2021 aims to ensure that the country’s young players are exposed to competitive action, says FAM deputy president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal.
He said former Academi Mokhtar Dahari (AMD) director Lim Teong Kim’s statement that the squad’s participation in the 2021 Premier League competition would kill the development of young talent in the country, was his personal view.
Subahan, who is also Petaling Jaya City FC Club (PJ City FC) president, stressed that FAM was focused on ensuring that the country’s young players got continuous exposure, as well as to spur development at the grassroots level.
“For me, this is a good programme, but as usual, everyone has an opinion (of their own), but for me, we (FAM) know what we are doing,” he said when met by reporters after the ceremony to introduce former national striker Darren Lok as PJ City FC’s new player, here today.
Subahan said: “We are not saying they (those with opinions) are right or wrong, but we have some (important) individuals in the squad, and the FAM management knows we need such a programme as a field of exposure for the young players themselves.”
Commenting further, he said FAM did not want young players, especially AMD graduates under the National Football Development Programme (NFDP) to simply become professional players who played in the local football scene, but instead gain useful exposure when competing with foreign players at the senior level.
He revealed that FAM planned to send the FAM-MSN project squad abroad in the future for the players to gain more exposure and improve their game.
Yesterday, Teong Kim claimed that FAM’s decision to create the squad was an illogical decision for the development of young talent and would kill their career development prospects.
Instead, he suggested for players listed in the squad to compete in the lower leagues such as the Youth Cup (Under 19) and the President’s Cup (Under 21) competitions.
The FAM-MSN Project Squad is an effort to establish a career path for athletes under the NFDP, including graduates of the Mokhtar Dahari Academy (AMD) to help the country’s young players make the transition to senior and professional levels in football.
A total of 30 individuals comprising AMD graduates, as well as products of the Youth Cup, President’s Cup, national and state sports schools and district training centres under the NFDP will form the pilot squad beginning in January.
The squad will be coached by former national player Yusri Che Lah, who will be helped by assistant coach Noor Zaidi Rohmat, Hamsani Ahmad (goalkeeping coach) and Nor Ikhmar Madarsa (phycial conditioning coach). — Bernama
