The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) today defended its decision to send the Harimau Muda A squad to play in the First League of Slovakia and considered it an effort to elevate the country's performance in football.
FAM deputy president Datuk Seri Redzuan Sheikh Ahmad said the stint by the Under-21 team did not mean that FAM squandered money.
"The matter is subjective and FAM is monitoring their performance there. If its just playing friendlies, they might as well play here but we want that they play to enhance skills and experience."
"I want to stress that FAM does not waste money at will and we hope for public support," he said at a news conference related to the issue of the squad's trip to Slovakia at Wisma FAM, Kelana Jaya, here on Monday.
He was commenting on newspaper reports that criticised the squad's particiapation in the First League of Slovakia as being just playing friendly matches and that the squad was not listed as a team competing in the league.
Redzuan said FAM constantly monitored the performance of the players and they were focused on their game.
"This the first time a national squad is playing in a foreign league and we have strived hard to give then an opportunity to enhance their football skills in that country," he said.
Redzuan said that after the Slovakia stint the Harimau Muda will play in the President Obama Cup in Michigan, the United States from May 18-25.
According to him, after playing in the Slovakia First League, the Harimau Muda is expected to play in the Singapore League next year if it was agreed to by the Football Association of Singapore.
Redzuan said FAM was planning to arrange four international matches for the squad with the Under-21 squads of Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland but the dates had not been fixed - Harimau Muda.Com
One minute he says he doesn't know anything about the Slovak adventure and suddenly he has all the explanation in the world.
ReplyDeleteAzzudin said, 'we received a working paper' - well from who and when. Was it before or after FA Singapore rejected Harimau Muda's participation?.
Did the working paper also proposed that local cooks should accompany the Team and how much of parpu, kueh teow and belacan to be brought along.
Suggest for 2011, FAM send Harimau Muda to play in the Zimbabwe league since we have established close relationship with the Zimbabwe FA with all expenses be paid by the host. This way FAM dont need to be accountable to the Rakyat and avoid issuing statements like 'kita bukan pakai duit rakyat'.
... setakat ini tiada satu team pun yang main pakai skirt atau kain sarung.....
ReplyDeleteheheheheh itulah jawapan pihak berkuasa bila ditanya sama ada team yang lawan Harimau muda serious atau sebaliknya.
Master G,
ReplyDeleteItu team Harimau Muda mana ada daftar dengan ROS atau Sport Commissioner pun tarak. That why they are not eligible to participate in S Liga.
Ada kah dalam dunia national team play in their only organised by them???????