FAM, HOW ABOUT SOME FAIRPLAY?

ONE wonders if FAM Competitions Committee Chairman, Datuk Che Mat Jusoh is aware of what Young Tigers are made of?

First of all, Young Tigers are a professional team and not an amateur team as claimed by certain quarters, maybe one is not aware of the difference between a professional and an amateur team.

The 28 players in the Young Tigers squad are all contracted for 2 years and players are paid salaries around RM 4500.00 excluding of match bonuses and all players are fully sponsored by Nike. The Young Tigers are provided with accommodation and meals at Wisma FAM, and they are also sent overseas for training.

Amateurs players do not get any of the above except for training allowances. So let’s set the record straight that the Young Tigers are a professional team.

On Friday and Saturday, two stories appeared in a local Malay daily which read ,

FIRST STORY

HADIAH wang RM200,000 untuk juara Liga Perdana akan menjadi milik T-Team, pasukan Persatuan Bola Sepak Kuala Terengganu, yang pertama kali bertarung dalam saingan itu musim ini.

Apapun keputusan perlawanan terakhir liga, Ahad ini antara T-Team dan Shahzan Muda, dan juga pendahulu liga, Harimau Muda dan Kuala Lumpur, segala keistimewaan yang diberikan kepada juara juga menjadi milik T-Team.

Ini kerana, menurut Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pertandingan Persatuan Bola Sepak Malaysia (FAM), Datuk Che Mat Jusoh, pembabitan Harimau Muda cuma sebagai pasukan jemputan yang memerlukan pendedahan dan latihan.

Walaupun skuad belia kebangsaan itu mengungguli liga jika mereka menang atau seri dengan Kuala Lumpur nanti, mereka tetap tidak naik ke Liga Super atau menerima hadiah kemenangan.

SECOND STORY

MALAM esok, Harimau Muda bakal bergelar juara Liga Perdana 2009 jika mengalahkan Kuala Lumpur tetapi mereka terpaksa menerima hakikat tidak akan mendapat sebarang habuan sebaliknya pasukan di tangga kedua, T-Team akan tersenyum lebar apabila imbuhan juara akan masuk ke kantung mereka. akan melengkapkan jadual Liga Perdana 2009 dengan menentang Kuala Lumpur dan kemenangan akan menobatkan skuad bimbingan jurulatih Ong Kim Swee itu sebagai juara musim ini.

Mungkin kedengaran agak aneh apabila skuad bergelar juara tidak akan mendapat sebarang imbuhan yang ditawarkan kepada pasukan yang memenangi Liga Perdana tapi itulah hakikat yang terpaksa ditelan Harimau Muda.

Kalaupun di Stadium Nasional Bukit Jalil malam esok menyaksikan Harimau Muda menang sekali gus bergelar juara, mereka hanya boleh berbangga dengan gelaran semata-mata dan pasukan yang bakal tersenyum lebar ialah T-Team kerana walaupun menduduki tangga kedua, semua keistimewaan termasuk imbuhan selaku juara akan masuk ke kantung mereka.

Enggan perkara itu menimbulkan sebarang reaksi yang tidak diingini, Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pertandingan Tempatan (JKPT) Persatuan Bola Sepak Malaysia (FAM), Datuk Che Mat Jusoh bingkas melerai semua persoalan yang dirasanya mungkin ditimbulkan banyak pihak.

I am quite puzzled by Che Mat’s statement just one day before the crucial game, as the Young Tigers will take on KL tonight at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil.

Maybe he wants the Young Tigers to fall, so that T-Team which is funded by UMNO politicians from Terengganu could see action in Super League next season. Why did Che Mat make such a statement condemning the players, instead of coming out to say that they hoped the players will make FAM proud by winning the Premier League Title ?

The Young Tigers only need one point to win the Premier League title.
Are these are the kind of officials that have been entrusted to provide the council with a new format for Malaysian Super League? I cannot imagine what the recommendation would be.

Young Tigers should be given the prize money. After all, they are professional and they have slogged and worked hard for the rewards. People like Che Mat Jusoh should just keep silent and ensure that the development of a proper structure, instead of constantly coming up with league structures that have only sent our national team to the doldrums.

If FAM decides that RM 200,000 cannot be given to them, then the money should be used for training stints, and not reward a team that has finished second.

These are officials who are absent to watch our national team in action, but are present to watch Manchester United playing, maybe FAM General Secretary Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad, should prepare an attendance list to check how many FAM officials and council members come to watch their very own team in action. This is how pathetic and shameful they are, yet so damaging with their statements.

“Bang, saya sedih kerana FAM sendiri tak percayakan kami boleh menang malam, mereka nak kita kalah “ a Young Tiger player sent me that SMS last night.

While FAM’s administration and K.Rajagopal slogged for two years in preparing the team, now Ong Kim Swee has taken over the challenge, I think it is only fair that FAM rewards the team accordingly, and not to reward T-Team even if they finish second.

In sports we only honour Champions, while those who finish second have to try harder next year, so I hope tonight the YOUNG TIGERS will ‘ roar ‘ and be crowned the Champions of the Premier League.

JAIHO Young Tigers !