Selangor in wait-and-see mode on AFC Cup

DESPITE being next in line for the country's second AFC Cup spot, Selangor may not want to compete in the tournament next year.

In what is turning out to be an embarrassing situation for the FA of Malaysia (FAM), no team appear to be keen to replace Kedah in the 2018 AFC Cup.

FA Cup champions Kedah did not qualify for a licence to compete in the AFC Cup while their expected replacement Pahang, the Super League and FA Cup runners-up, have turned down the opportunity.

With Felda United (third in the Super League) and Perak (fifth) also not having an AFC licence, that leaves sixth-place Selangor as Malaysia's most likely representative in the AFC Cup alongside Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT).

However, FA of Selangor president Datuk Subahan Kamal declined to say whether they will take up the opportunity to return to a tournament they last played in 2016.

When asked if FAM have invited Selangor to play in the AFC Cup, Subahan said: "Not that I know of. Let’s wait for FAM's letter first, then our council will decide."

Ironically, Selangor were in a similar situation in 2016 when they did not qualify automatically for the AFC Cup. LionsXII won the FA Cup in 2015 but the Singapore club were not eligible to represent Malaysia in the following year’s AFC Cup, leaving Selangor to take up the slot as the league runners-up.

If Selangor decline the offer, Malaysia would be left with just one representative in the AFC Cup, or none at all if JDT qualify for the AFC Champions League group stage.

It is unlikely that the Asian Football Confederation will accept a team ranked lower than sixth in the Super League standings to play in the AFC Cup, which rules out PKNS, T-Team and Penang, the only other clubs with an AFC licence. Devinder Singh

Let us wait for FAM's letter first, then our council will decide."

DATUK SUBAHAN KAMAL