Super League new boys target top-five finish
League team, Petaling Jaya City FC, are a great example of the saying “hard work pays off ”.
Owned by QI Group executive chairman, Datuk Seri Vijay Eswaran, the club’ in December, replaced the Malaysian Indian Football Association (MIFA) in the M-League first-tier competition.
During the launch of the Phoenix last December, Vijay said MIFA are to serve as PJ City’s feeder club.
This came following talks of MIFA’s de-registration from the MLeague.
PJ City’s first team comprise of mainly the same players that had helped MIFA finish third in the Premier League last season.
After two games in the new season (one loss and one draw), PJ City are yet to convince anyone that they have managed to garner more fans than MIFA ever did.
With the backing of sponsor QNET, the PJ City team, coached by K. Devan, aim to finish in the top five of the Super League.
The team’s new investor is also the partner of EPL champions, Manchester City and sponsor of the national hockey team and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Established in 2014, the team, known as MIFA, made their debut in the M-League through the third tier FAM Cup.
The club nearly got promoted to the Premier League after finishing second in the FAM League in 2015.
But they only managed to do so a year later when MIFA beat Perak SEDC 3-1 on aggregate.
In their Premier League debut, MIFA managed to escape relegation on goal difference as both Armed Forces and Perlis made the drop.
Last year in the Premier League, MIFA finished third behind champions Felda United and runners-up Felcra, who have since withdrawn due to financial issues.
Felcra’s withdrawal paved the way for MIFA to play in the Super League for the first time.