‘IF YOU CAN’T BEAT THEM JOIN THEM’
National coaches back FAM plan to get naturalised players
FRANCE won the 2018 Russia World Cup with the help of their foreign legion, Qatar won the recent Asian Cup with two naturalised players, and many other countries are also looking to “outside help”.
FAM have come to accept that it is a case of “if you can't beat them, join them.” On Saturday in an exco meeting, the national association set the wheels in motion with the announcement of the mechanism for getting naturalised players.
There are three categories.
1. Short term (players of mixed parentage): Either they or any of their parents or grandparents were born in Malaysia;
2. Medium term: Foreign players aged 18 and above who have played in the MLeague and are ready to stay here for at least five years;
3. Long term: Talented foreign players aged below 18 living in Malaysia.
FAM’s plans to look beyond the shores of Malaysia for talents have been well received by several current and former national coaches.
Their desire for foreign help is understandable. Relying solely on homegrown talent is just not enough as Malaysia have struggled at international level in the past 40 years.
And just recently, fans were reminded of the tough days ahead when World No 167
Malaysia lost 1-0 to World 165 Singapore in the Airmarine Cup at Bukit Jalil.
Football Coaches Association of Malaysia president B. Sathianathan, national senior team coach Tan Cheng Hoe and national Under-23 coach Ong Kim Swee all agree that FAM are making the right move with the naturalisation programme.
Sathianathan, who coached the national team in 2007-2008, said the decision is a step in the right direction.
“Naturalised players are important especially for the short-term plan for Malaysia to reach Asia’s top level,” he said.
“Japan relied on two to five naturalised players who gave them the winning momentum (in qualifying for the World Cup and Asian Cup).
“But we cannot allow sub-standard players to get into the system.”
On the long-term plan of getting naturalised players below the age of 18, Sathianathan feels it can lead to healthy competition between foreign players and local boys for places in national teams.
“Our youngsters must be open to competition because if we try to spoon feed them, they will never become top players as only the mentally strong will fight on to become better players.”
Harimau Malaya coach Tan Cheng Hoe feels that the short-term plan is essential to providing stability.
“For short-term at the moment, we need naturalised players but in the long-term we will need home-grown talents.
“For now, it (getting naturalised players) will definitely help our team to stabilise, and when we get stability, our team can then succeed.
“Previously Japan did the same. They had naturalised players to try to balance the national team. They then did well to go to the World Cup, and if we find the same (stability), we can stop (looking for naturalised players).”
For example, Cheng Hoe said the Gambia-born Mohamadou Sumareh has added steel to the Malaysia team with his presence. Playing for Malaysia for the first time, Sumareh helped his adopted country reach the AFF Cup final last year.
“He’s been in Malaysia for some time, so he gets along well with the local players. He was impactful for us in the AFF Cup.
“If the (naturalised) players can make their impact, it will be great for the national team. But if the naturalised players give problems, then we don’t need them. We need those with the right attitude.”
Kim Swee feels that Malaysia should look at bigger picture by focusing on the long-term plan.
“When it comes to the longterm plans, they (Under-18 naturalised players) must be better than our local talents.
“Our local players should take it as a challenge because they are good until 16-17 years old but when they get out (of junior ranks), where do they go?
“With naturalised players, not only are we getting good players but also creating competition and also promoting a bigger pool of talent.”
Kim Swee hopes the long term plan will provide some consistency in the players’ performances, citing fivetime Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) as an example.
“I have five JDT players on the team, Safawi, Syamer Kutty Abba, Dominic Tan, Haziq Nadzli and Akhyar Rashid. Put aside Safawi, these players sometime play and sometimes they don’t.
“For me, they are outstanding because they train with good players and when you do that, you automatically become good.
Among the players in FAM’s radar for their naturalisation programme are Liridon Krasniqi (Kosovo), Guilherme de Paula (Brazil), Lee Tuck (England) and the likes of Matthew Davies, Darren Lok, Brendan Gan, Kiko and Natxo Insa and Nicholas Swirad.
However, Astro sports presenter Zainal Abidin Rawop Zainal thinks FAM should leave out Liridon and de Paula.
“For me, Liridon is in the past and he’s not needed, the same goes for de Paula. I don’t think they are relevant to the current setup. I would go for PKNS’ Romel Morales and JDT II’s Armin Maier.
FAM president Datuk Hamidin Amin brushed aside the claims that the national team will one day consist only of naturalised players.
“Our move to come up with a mechanism for naturalised players will not affect local-born footballers from representing Malaysia,” said Hamidin yesterday.
“We have a technical team within FAM to identify foreign players who can offer something different to the national team — short, medium and long term.
“There is no set number of foreign players we want to naturalise. We may take two or three depending on our technical team's review.
“I don't think our move will affect football development in this country.”
Naturalised players are important especially for the short-term plan for Malaysia to reach Asia’s top level.”
B. Sathianathan Football Coaches Association of Malaysia president