Former boss Tunku Ismail wants FAM and NFDP to work closely
PETALING JAYA: Football Association of Malaysia ( FAM) former president Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim has urged the National Football Development Programme of Malaysia (NFDP) to work closely with the national body.
In welcoming Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin as the new FAM president, he said more concerted effort is needed from all the stakeholders to improve the standard of the Malaysian football.
He hoped that Hamidin will carry on the momentum with the national teams which are starting to produce results.
He said FAM did not have a good working relationship with the NFDP during his short one year tenure as the FAM president.
“The Youth and Sports ministry previously did not play their role in ensuring cooperation between FAM and NFDP,” Tunku Ismail said in a press conference after the FAM Congress yesterday.
“FAM Youth Technical director Peter de Roo was not given a lot of access and cooperation because those in the NFDP run the programme as if it was their own. We can only give our insight and advices ... even their response were quite negative at that time.”
“I hope the new president will discuss with the sports minister on how to work together and respect each other.
“The intention must be clear that whichever organisation they are working for, they must ensure that the agenda is to improve football.”
“I have mentioned the problems in the NFDP to the new Youth and Sports Minister (Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman) that several individuals in the NFDP didn’t give their full support and have problems with state football associations. For example they didn’t provide the facilities to the states’ FA.”
Meanwhile, NFDP chief executive officer Safirul Azli Abu Bakar said that the cooperation level between them and FAM will be further increased, especially in technical planning and talent spotting.
“NFDP had no problems with FAM. If there’s technical issues with individuals, it should be settled in FAM.
“The national team come under FAM who have the rights to discuss with the head coach, national team head coaches and tell them what needs to be done. This is a normal thing.”
“As far as I know, we have been working with FAM’s technical department and we have shared datas with them all this while.
“So whatever, they have asked, we have shared and myself in my capacity as the member of FAM’s technical and development committee can vouch for it. I’m not sure specifically on what is being mentioned,” he said.