More appeal and value
M-League teams can sign five foreign players starting next year
JOHOR BARU: M-League teams will be allowed to sign five foreign players, including one from the Asean region, beginning next year.
This is one of the many major changes set to be carried out in the M-League.
Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim pointed out that this was one of the requirements made by a new major sponsor for the M-League in a bid to add more appeal to the Super League and Premier League.
“Asean players who want to play here must have more than 30 international caps and a strong following in their countries.
“This will increase the league’s value and attract new fans from around the region,” he said after the unveiling of the new Super League trophy here yesterday.
The new trophy – made from copper, silver and 24-carat gold — is 633mm high and weighs 20kg. Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) will be the first team to lift the trophy at the Larkin Stadium today.
He also said that other trophies in the M-League would be upgraded soon, except for the Malaysia Cup.
Tunku Ismail, however, said that it was up to the football clubs whether or not they want to follow the new foreign player quota.
Super League and Premier League teams are now allowed to sign only four foreign players, including one from Asia.
“My dream is for the sponsor to give clubs competing in the M-League RM6mil to RM7mil each. But for next season, Super League clubs will get RM4mil and Premier League teams RM2mil,” he said, adding that there might be changes to the league schedules, including not having breaks during the season.
Tunku Ismail pointed out that other leagues, including in Australia and Thailand, never stopped midway for junior tournaments in their countries.
“Malaysia is the only league in the world that has so many breaks, including during the fasting month.
The leagues in the Arab nations continue although their players fast as well.
“These breaks are bad for our league and affect our players’ performances.”
He said that the matter had been discussed within the Football Malaysia Limited Liability Partnership (FMLLP) and would be brought up at the FAM exco meeting in Kedah.
Tunku Ismail also said that national Under-23 coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee had shown an interest in having his contract renewed and that the matter was being discussed.
He also encouraged young local footballers to go and play abroad, especially in Japan and Thailand, as “it will improve the players and the national team”.
Tunku Ismail also said that he had met a North Korean representative here and has been given an assurance on the safety of the national team when they play their 2019 Asia Cup qualifiers Group B match in Pyongyang on Oct 5.