ASEAN FOR 2030

Football Association of Thailand president Worawi Makudi, a member of the powerful FIFA executive committee, is confident that the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) would be able to host a World Cup finals.

The idea of a joint bid by the 10-member ASEAN to host the 2030 World Cup finals came alive at a foreign ministers' summit in Lombok, Indonesia in January. Malaysia was tasked to come up with a proposal and to submit a status report at the ASEAN Summit in Indonesia next month.

On Sunday, the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) backed the idea of a joint bid.

Speaking to MediaCorp over the phone from London yesterday, Worawi said: "This is just an idea now, and we're just collecting feedback. The process of bidding hasn't even started ... but I'm confident that in the next 20 years ASEAN will easily have the capability - in terms of infrastructure - to host the World Cup."

But he cautioned: "I have no doubt that there will be a lot of development in this region in the years ahead ... but it is eventually up to FIFA to award (the hosting rights)."

FIFA's goals of using football as a unifying factor and spreading the game to as many countries as possible will be served by bringing a World Cup here.

But, besides infrastructure, the selection of a team, or teams, to represent the countries here could be extremely complicated. The first and only World Cup to see co-hosts was the 2002 edition held in Japan and Korea, when both countries were granted automatic slots in the competition.

In a statement released on its website yesterday, the AFF said it "welcomes the initiative by the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) to consider hosting the 2030 World Cup in the region."

An ASEAN delegation headed by Malaysia's Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Dato' Razali Ibrahim, presented a World Cup bid proposal to the AFF members for the first time on Sunday. The AFF will form a committee to study the proposal.

In the meantime, representatives from Malaysia and the ASEAN Secretariat are in the midst of preparing a status report on the proposal for the forthcoming ASEAN Summit in Jakarta from May 7 to 8.

The next World Cup finals will be held in Brazil in 2014, followed by Russia in 2018 and Qatar four years later. Argentina and Uruguay have expressed an interest in a joint bid for the 2026 finals, and the earliest the tournament could return to Asia will be in 2030.

The benefits of hosting a World Cup are obvious, says Worawi. "Even before the tournament kicks off, along the way as we prepare for the event, we will see a lot of football development in the region ... But for now it is still an idea," he said ..

SOMETHING TO LEARN FROM THE THAIS

HQ FOR AFF

Newly elected Asean Football Federation (AFF) president Sultan Ahmad Shah is expected to propose the building of the AFF headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

The Sultan who is also the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president said he would put forward the proposal to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

"I will write to the Prime Minister for a land allocation to build the AFF headquarters but will seek the approval of the AFF council before writing the letter to the Prime Minister.

"To me, Najib is a leader who understands and supports the importance of sports," he said after opening the fourth schedule of the Pahang state legislative assembly at Wisma Sri Pahang here Monday.

Sultan Ahmad Shah said when he was the president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had approved a plot of land for the AFC headquarters while FIFA also allocated financial aid.

Sultan Ahmad Shah, who is the Sultan of Pahang, took over the AFF presidency from Tan Sri Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen Tengku Ismail, who had helmed the AFF since 1995.

The AFF was established on Jan 31, 1984, with member countries comprising Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam.

HRH Sultan Ahmad Shah helms AFF

His Royal Highness Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah is the newPresident of the Asean Football Federation (AFF) after he won the post uncontested during the regional body’s 18th Congress in Bangkok, Sunday.
The other nominee for the post, FA of Thailand President, Dato’ Worawi Makudi, who is also a FIFA Exco member, decided to withdraw from contesting the top post.
HRH Sultan Ahmad, a former AFC President and current President of theFA of Malaysia, replaces long-serving Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Tengku AhmadRithauddeen Al-Haj Tengku Ismail, who decided not to seek re-electionthis year.
Tengku Ahmad has been AFF President since 1996 (when the AFF wasrevived) and has played a major part in AFF’s tremendous success overthe years which includes the hosting of the immensely popular regionalfootball tournament now known as the AFF Suzuki Cup.
In his inauguration speech, HRH Sultan Ahmad thanked TengkuAhmad Rithaudeen for his leadership.
“I hope to lead the management team to further enhance the solidarity and level of Asean football. It is indeed fitting for all of us to render our appreciation to TengkuTan Sri Ahmad Rithauddeen who served as president for five terms since1996.
HRH Sultan Ahmad went on to comment:” I urge all members of the AFF tomaintain and enhance the strong sustainable solidarity that has beenwell established. Only with a strong foundation can we further enhancethe capacity, quality and capability of football.
During the Congress, three new Vice-Presidents were voted in. Theywere Brig Gen Khiev Sameth from Cambodia, Francisco Kabualdi Lay fromTimor Leste and Viphet Sihachakr from Laos.
Pengiran Matusin Matasan from Brunei and Ravy Khek did not seek re-election while Duong Vu Lam from Vietnam retained his vice-presidency.
Prior to the elections Sunday, members attending the Congress hadagreed to consider a rotation format for future elections. The detailsand implementation are to be discussed by the new AFF Council.

(HRH visiting Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen last week at PM residential Palace,Cambodia)

LIVERPOOL FC TO PLAY IN MALAYSIA

THE Reds are coming. English football giants

Liverpool FC will play in Malaysia this summer. Title sponsored by Standard Chartered Bank, the match will be a piece of football istory as this is the first time Liverpool FC will be stepping on Malaysian soil and it has created a lot of excitement.

The Reds have a massive base of football fans in the country. Organized by the Football Association of Malaysia, the event is promoted by ProEvents nternational Sdn Bhd, the leading football marketing and management consultancy in Asia, who is celebrating its 10th anniversary in Malaysia this year.

“Even if you are not a supporter of Liverpool FC, I am sure football fans will come and watch our team play against one of the greatest football clubs in the world. I am sure you would want to see this team live in action in Malaysia,” said FA of Malaysia (FAM) deputy president HRH Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who is also the Crown Prince of Pahang.

“We would like to thank ProEvents for making the historical match possible. This creates an excellent opportunity for our National Coach Rajagopal to challenge his set of layers and perhaps to use it as part of his preparation for the SEA Games and next World Cup qualifiers,” added Tengku Abdullah.

"Liverpool FC is delighted to be coming to Malaysia. It will be a historic visit to this beautiful country and we are very pleased to be able to give the huge number of Liverpool supporters in Malaysia the opportunity of seeing their heroes in action," said the Club’s Managing Director Ian Ayre who lived in Malaysia before joining LFC. comprehensive program will be drawn up to welcome Liverpool FC to Kuala Lumpur.

ENDS

Normalisation Committee in Indonesia

Following the latest events linked to the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI), the FIFA Emergency Committee decided on 1 April 2011 that, in accordance with article 7 paragraph 2 of the FIFA Statutes, a Normalisation Committee will take over from the current PSSI executive committee.

The FIFA Emergency Committee estimated that the current PSSI leadership was not in control of football in Indonesia as proven by the failure to gain control of the run-away league (Liga Premiere, LPI) set up without the involvement of PSSI or by the fact it could not organise a congress whose sole goals were to adopt an electoral code and elect an electoral commission. The FIFA Emergency Committee came thus to the conclusion that the PSSI leadership had lost all credibility within Indonesia and was not in a position anymore to lead the process to solve the current crisis.

The mission of the Normalisation Committee is: to organise elections based on the FIFA electoral code and PSSI statutes before 21 May 2011; to bring the run-away league under PSSI control or have it stopped as soon as possible; to run the day-to-day activities of PSSI in a spirit of reconciliation for the good of the Indonesian football

The Normalisation Committee is composed by personalities of the Indonesian football who will not be able to run for any of the PSSI positions and would act as an electoral commission. It confirmed as well the non-eligibility to the Presidency of PSSI of the four candidates who were rejected by the PSSI appeal committee on 28 February 2011 - fifa.com

Tengku Abdullah & Cardiff FC

CARDIFF: FA of Malaysia deputy president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah hopes that more football academies will be set up to prepare a platform for youth who want to play football.

Tengku Abdullah expressed his hopes for grassroots football during his visit to the Cardiff City Football Training Academy, where he watched the Under-18 play at the Leckwith Stadium.

He later watched Malaysian-owned Cardiff City beat Derby County 4-1 in a Championship (Division One) match at Cardiff stadium on Saturday.The visit to Cardiff, said Tengku Abdullah, was also to step up the cooperation in terms of preparation to train Malaysian Under-16, Under-18 and Under-20 players.

Read more: Football: Tengku Abdullah: Academies needed to spur grassroots http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/40TENGA/Article#ixzz1Ic67136r

A letter to Member Associations of ASEAN Football Federation (AFF).

My Dear ASEAN Brothers,

That’s what we are, that’s what we have been, that’s what we should be, and always remain being.

I come before you as a protagonist of 1ASEAN, appealing to each one of you my brothers in football, to reignite the flame of ASEAN solidarity and lift this spirit above our own frailties and agendas, and let it soar to heights we have yet to scale

To be a force in the world, it’s imperative that we have to first be a force within our own fraternity. We cannot, my dear brothers, confront and face our challenges with huge holes or gaps in our armour. We need to stand shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm, with one heart and one mind.

I am ready to face the challenges that confront the ASEAN Football Federation. I have the heart and the will for it. Football runs in my veins, it’s this passion that has kept me in the game and resolute in the face of adversity. But that’s football; it always demands the very best of any good leader.

Football unites. And this is what I want to do first in AFF. But I cannot do this on my own. I need each and every one of you to pick up the loose ends, and weave them back so tightly that the very fabric that keeps us entwined together will not come asunder again. For United we stand, Divided we fall.

My dear brothers, ASEAN football has the potential of breaking out from its ranks and making waves in Asia and the world. We must believe in ourselves, that we have what it takes to be a competitor in the World Cup one day. I believe we can do it. Even if it doesn’t happen in my tenure as AFF President, God willing if I am elected that is, then I would very much like to kick start this dream and leave a legacy behind.

I already have some ideas on how we can start helping one another develop into respectable football nations. And just as importantly through our ASEAN football brotherhood, we can help our respective countries, through our strong network and solidarity, to further develop in the socio-economic area as well.

1 ASEAN 1 GOAL

For that to happen my dear brothers, we need to all be playing in the same team.

With warmest regards,

Sincerely,

Presidential Candidate – Sultan Ahmad Shah

Tengku Abdullah's wish

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has played polo around the world but come this June, Malaysia wants to do exceptionally well in the all-important FIP Polo World Cup Zone D Qualifier from June 11-26.

It is a tournament that the Malaysians will be rooting for the national polo team to make the top three which will not only give the sport a big boost in the country but also take it to a new level.

At stake is a historic place in the FIP Polo World Cup which will be played in San Luis, Argentina from October 11-25. To earn the passport to Argentina, Malaysia must finish in the top three.

Royal Malaysian Polo Association (RMPA) president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah (pic), who is also the Crown Prince of Pahang, sees a “tough battle” but in the same breath is confident that his wish will come true.

“We are in a tough group which is made up of some of the best polo playing countries in the world but we hope to perform well and qualify for the World Cup Finals,” says the sports loving Prince.

“There are some plus factors that could work in our favor and we have to make use of it to make an impact in the Qualifier. My wish is to see Malaysia play in the World Cup Finals.”

Malaysia must finish in the top three to earn their passport for a historic place and play in their first ever FIP Polo World Cup Finals. Apart from Malaysia, some of the best known polo playing countries in the world - Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan and South Africa and minnows Nigeria and Singapore will compete in the Zone D Qualifier.

“At this stage we are in the final phase of training before the tournament gets underway in June. Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa are all known polo powerhouses in polo but we will not stand their reputation in our quest for glory.”

The Malaysians have been training together since last year. It included two-month training cum playing stint in Argentina from mid-September to mid-November. During this period, the Malaysian team also selected the horses to be used in the Qualifier.

“It is my fervent wish to see Malaysia plays in the FIP World Cup Finals. We have never qualified for the Finals but it simply does not mean that Malaysia will be easy meat for the top guns.

“We will go into the fray well prepared. I am happy with our preparations and we have assembled the best team to carry Malaysia’s challenge. Malaysia will have to go in with confidence.

The Malaysian team is made up of Huzaini Yunos (+4 Handicap), Shaikh Reismann (+3 Handicap), Amran Selamat (+2 Handicap), Muhammad Edham Shaharuddin (+4 Handicap), Saladin Mazlan (+3 Handicap) and Tengku Ahmad Shazril (+3 Handicap).

After competing in the Thai Polo Open Championships where they finished runners-up to Thai Polo, the Malaysians will next play in the Malaysian Open Polo Tournament in April. The Malaysian Open will be played at the Putrajaya Equestrian Park and the Royal Selangor Polo Club.

The Qualifier will be played at three different venues – namely the Royal Pahang Polo Club in Pecan, the Putrajaya Equestrian Park in the administrative capital of Malaysia and the Royal Selangor Polo Club.

HD says: Wondering if I'm too old to pick up polo.