FAM urges FMLLP to postpone M-League campaign

KUALA LUMPUR: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has called on Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnership (FMLLP) to postpone the Malaysian League (M-League) campaign this August to allow the Under-22 squad (U-22) to undergo centralised training for Kuala Lumpur SEA Games (KL2017).

FAM secretary-general Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin said the proposal was made by U-22 head coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee who has only 14 days to prepare the team before the competition starts on Aug 14.

“I support the proposal and have sent a letter to FMLLP. I am waiting for a reply from Kevin Ramalingam (CEO of FMLLP) who will hold a meeting to decide the matter.

“If the request is approved, it’s good news because Datuk Ong will have 14 days with the team before the first match of the SEA Games Group A on Aug 14 or 15,” he told reporters when met at an Aidilfitri do of the national football and women futsal teams, here yesterday. Matches involving the Premier League, the Super League and the Malaysia Cup are scheduled for Aug 4, 5 and 9. Meanwhile, in another development, Hamidin said FAM would resolve the wage issue of five former national coaches before the end of this month.

The five coaches who are making their claims are former senior squad assistant coach Hassan Sazali Mohd Waras, former senior squad fitness coach Reuben Jude, former U-22 assistant coach Aminuddin Hussin, former U22 goal keeping coach Megat Amir Faizal Ibrahim and former U-22 fitness coach, Mashidee Sulaiman.

“I will settle this issue before the end of this month. The president of the Football Coaches Association of Malaysia, B. Sathianathan will meet with me this week.

“We have paid three months wages as compensation in May. The FAM is not cruel, we have paid in accordance with all the rules.

The issue followed action by the new FAM leadership who sacked the senior squad and U-22 squad coaching line-up in March.