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Wednesday, November 25, 2015

 

FAM Make Decisions Shock

Last night the lights all but went out on LionsXII ambitions in the Malaysia Cup as they fell to a 4-1 defeat away to Pahang. An appropriate result you might say given the results of a meeting in KL that were announced while the Singaporeans were wiping their bodies clean after the post match shower. For the FAM announced some decisions last night...stop sniggering at the back...and one of them was pretty headline grabbing.

LionsXII will not be invited back to the Malaysia Super League in 2016. The Singaporean side with the daftest of names were formed at the back end of 2011 and entered the MSL for the first time in 2012, finishing second. A year later they won it and this year they won the FA Cup, not a bad return by many standards though of course many Singaporeans were still not impressed. And neither were the Malaysians.

One of the reasons cited for rescinding the invitation to play was financial; LionsXII refused to shoulder the Malaysian clubs travel costs as well as accommodation...Singapore hotels are not cheap! One report suggests there were other compelling argument but gave no indication what that might be. One report also suggests the FAM had not told their Singaporean counterparts. In other words the FAS would find out by social media like the rest of us did! Way to go FAM!

So the second leg of the quarter final tie against Pahang at Jalan Besar this weekend will be the end of the road for Fandi Ahmad's men and hopefully the players will be allowed to join SLeague clubs and not wait for the promised land of the ASEAN Super League cos god knows the SLeague needs the top local players.

In this rare flurry of activity, the FAM also announced the end of the Harimau Muda project. One plays in Singapore while others play in the Premier League and the FAM League. They will be replaced by a SEA Games 2017 Project, hopefully they are not called that, to prepare for the, um, SEA Games. In 2017. This will have a knock on effect in Singapore of course with Harimau Muda withdrawing leaving the SLeague with nine clubs. Who knows, perhaps they could invite Tanjong Pagar back. Or Gombak United. Or even Super Reds.

Bad news for LionsXII perhaps but good news for Indonesian coach Rahmad Darmawan. His T Team will play ATM in a play off to see who will replace the Singaporeans in the top flight at a date to be announced. Kuala Lumper will in turn keep their place in the Premier League to make up the numbers.

The big news story from the FAM putting in some elbow grease for once sees Pahang deducted six points. This came about because they had refused to pay a former player Mohamed Borji the money they owed him in spite of a FIFA edict saying they so must.

Comments:
Would really hope Kelantan sign Safuan Baharuddin with the help of their new head coach V. Sundramoorthy
 
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