Scrap over scrapping

FAM’s decision to cancel Cup meets receives mixed reaction

The Football Association of Malaysia’s (FAM) decision to scrap the President’s Cup and the Youth Cup this season has seen some support – but also some fierce resistance.

While Petaling Jaya City President’s Cup coach K. Gunalan (pic) accepts that the health of the players comes first, Kuala Lumpur’s team manager Syed Yazid Syed Omar thinks what’s good for the goose must be good for the gander.

He wants the Super League and Premier League scrapped as well.

Syed Yazid said that if the youth level competitions could not take place, the same should apply to the senior level competitions.

“I understand that virus can spread though football but that applies to the senior players, too. I believe cancelling the M-League or all football activities would be the best,” said Syed Yazid, who is also a Kuala Lumpur FA vice-president.

He added the management was considering keeping the junior team together for the Johor Malaysia Games (Sukma) next year even if the President’s Cup is scrapped.

“We have an option to prepare the same set of players for the Sukma next year but it needs to be discussed first.

“We have been working on developing this squad for the last few years. They are slowly maturing into quality players.

“I believe they will be poached by other teams if they are released.”

Gunalan, on the other hand, welcomed the plans to scrap the tournaments.

The former international, said health and safety were the most important things at the moment and the cancellation was unavoidable.

“It’s a good decision based on the safety concerns,” said the former Selangor coach.

“We have only played four matches so I think it’s okay to cancel the competition.

“The players’ contracts will be cancelled unfortunately but I believe there must be goodwill between the management and players and a fair compensation be paid.”