 |
legendary Mokhtar Dahari |
PETALING JAYA: A veteran football administrator says Malaysian football is going downhill because it’s no longer a “Malaysian game” played by the country’s different races, in the wake of the national team’s failure to qualify for the 2019 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup.
 |
Soh Chun Aun the 'Towkay' another of Malaysia's finest footballer |
Speaking to FMT, Peter Velappan, who served as AFC secretary-general for nearly three decades, said Malaysia had the potential to be the number one footballing country in Asia, owing to its racial and cultural diversity.
 |
R 'Spiderman' Arumugum, probably Malaysia's best goalkeeper |
“We have the talent. We proved this in qualifying for the 1972 and 1980 Olympics. Since then, our whole system of development, coaching, and team leadership has gone downhill, so we can’t produce top class talent.”
 |
Zainal Abidin Hassan same league as Mokhtar Dahari as a forward when he moved forward to strike, he terrorised the opposition |
Velappan said a key reason why Malaysia had not been able to produce talent equal to the “golden generation” of the 70s and 80s, was the lack of diversity.
 |
Santokh 'Ironman' Singh (with Mokhtar) invincible fullback |
“In my time, any state team, you would have had Malays, Chinese, and Indians. But today, where are the Chinese and the Indians?”
 |
Lim Teong Kim - ruthless midfielder played in Germany and also asst coach for Bayern Munich U-19 Team |
Indeed, it's bad enough not to have another Mokhtar Dahari but where's the 'Spiderman' Arumugum, Santokh Singh, Soh Chin Aun, Wong Chun Wah, Chow Chee Keong, Lim Teong Kim, etc etc? Where's a Malaysian team?
 |
Wong Chun Wah & goalkeeper Chow Chee Keong |
Political correctness should not be allowed to come into the selection for a sports team.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone complained about the ethnic diversity (or lack of) in Malaysia's basketball team , or table tennis team ?
everyone loves football but how many likes basketball or table tennis? To be good one got to like it first
Deleteit's not the racial makeup of players, of course, you get some prima donnas because of the ketuanan and patronage crap but its the management and couching system that is link to ketuanan politics and policies
ReplyDeleteyou can bring in the whole world cup winning squad to play for Malaysia and they still won't go anywhere
Everyone, from my housemaid to my grandma, knows that there's no "Malaysian Football" for decades already la. He asked where are the Indians and Chinese today ? The reason is very simple...during the selection exercise, the Indians and Chinese all suddenly, inexplicably, got stricken with arthritis and muscle cramps... their leg muscles just freeze up...so they couldn't make the cut into the national team. Damn la these Indians and Chinese, tak boleh di harap pun.
ReplyDeleteGood Football talent, like most other sports come up through the schools system. You need to develop the aptitude for the game from childhood.
ReplyDeleteThe Nons who previously played football at National level all came through National Schools, where they played with other races.
With 99% of Chinese kids now studying in apartheid-like Chinese schools, It is Not surprising that there are now Zero Chinese football players.
Today, the number of Chinese kids in Malaysia who Play football socially or competitively - not watch or cheer football, mind you - is nearly zero.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you expect in the result for the National Team ?
I see it as a matter of cause and effect, not an issue with racial discrimination.
There r many diedhard football fans, who cut across race, in bolihland.
ReplyDeleteOne just can't fault the Chinese/Indian M'sians for loving the game & yet be unable to play.
The passion IS there!
So, why no CinaBeng/IndiaMari national fotballers????
SELECTIVE screening lah - enough said!
Some of u r just either blur, ketuanan freak infected, playing political-correctness lah!!!