I want to write about football today. Yes, football or to be precise, good football is a passion of mine as I suspect it is to many other Malaysians.
No, I am not going to talk about the biggies of football though I may touch on them. I am going to write about a certain sickness afflicting Malaysian football with reference to the Suzuki Cup or whatever cup it is.
Being 52, I was not exposed to the football of Ghani Minhat and those of his peers but since they are very highly regarded, I am sure football fans during their times got hard ons after hard ons culminating in multiple orgasms watching them play.
I am more familiar with the football of the Mokhtar Dahari, Soh Chin Aun, Santokh Singh era. These people are true footballers with skill spilling over to the crowd.
Who could forget the agility and sharpness of Chow Chee Keong, Wong Kam Fook and R. Arumugam in goal? In them we had so many safe hands to manage the post that freed the defenders to venture upfield confidently.
The stone fortress of Soh Chin Aun and Santokh Singh once dubbed the best centrebacks in Asia aided by Namat Abdullah was awe inspiring. We don't let in that many goals in a year as we do in a game now.
In Wong Choon Wah, Shukor Salleh and to a certain extend Wan Zawawi and that young boy who came later on, Azizul Abu Hanifah, we had midfielders not only with skills but also with vision to match.
Then we had the legendary Mokhtar Dahari, Shaharudin Abdullah, Syed Ahmad and even James Wong.
It wasn't any wonder that we qualified for the Olympics twice. Those people mentioned played with their hearts, soul and passion.
Frank Lord took Zainal Abidin Hassan from defence to the forward line and we had a lethal striker something which we can't do now because our present players do not know how to play in their present position what more a different one.
The choice of that present coach who would not admit that he has not in him the qualities to be a anational team coach only makes things worse. I still remember when he said we did not qualify because we lost to Vietnam.
Okay, that is fair, but does that mean that we knew all along that we could not beat Thailand? Anyway why did we lose to Vietnam in the first place? Did that idiot coach really pick the best players Malaysia has to offer?
The problem with us is favouritism and interference. Only privilaged players get chosen when Malaysia has many jewels ignored. These jewels are not hidden, they are there for the picking but they serve certain people in FAM no purpose and therefore excluded.
The reserve keeper Malaysia fielded in the match against Thailand wasn't even a regular keeper for his club team but the FAM people saw it fit to take him along for the ride. The way he fumbled makes my balls want to hide in shame. Why was he picked? Is it because of connections? Look we don't have foreign keepers so all the keeprs playing in our league are locals and I am sure that are safer pairs of hands than his.
We struggled to beat Laos. In the warm up matches we were trounced by Myanmar. Lets learn from teams like this. Leave Singapore aside because they are a bunch of mercenaries but at least the few local players they fielded are real good players. At least they have good goalkeepers.
Do we know what ails Malaysian football? Yes, we do. If that is the case why nothing is being done about it? Like everything else in Malaysia, football is also part of the political equation so I don't think I would be able to be proud of a Malaysian football team anymore. I hope my Children or theirs would one day be touched by a Malaysian team as much as I was in the times of those great players mentioned earlier.
No, I am not going to talk about the biggies of football though I may touch on them. I am going to write about a certain sickness afflicting Malaysian football with reference to the Suzuki Cup or whatever cup it is.
Being 52, I was not exposed to the football of Ghani Minhat and those of his peers but since they are very highly regarded, I am sure football fans during their times got hard ons after hard ons culminating in multiple orgasms watching them play.
I am more familiar with the football of the Mokhtar Dahari, Soh Chin Aun, Santokh Singh era. These people are true footballers with skill spilling over to the crowd.
Who could forget the agility and sharpness of Chow Chee Keong, Wong Kam Fook and R. Arumugam in goal? In them we had so many safe hands to manage the post that freed the defenders to venture upfield confidently.
The stone fortress of Soh Chin Aun and Santokh Singh once dubbed the best centrebacks in Asia aided by Namat Abdullah was awe inspiring. We don't let in that many goals in a year as we do in a game now.
In Wong Choon Wah, Shukor Salleh and to a certain extend Wan Zawawi and that young boy who came later on, Azizul Abu Hanifah, we had midfielders not only with skills but also with vision to match.
Then we had the legendary Mokhtar Dahari, Shaharudin Abdullah, Syed Ahmad and even James Wong.
It wasn't any wonder that we qualified for the Olympics twice. Those people mentioned played with their hearts, soul and passion.
Frank Lord took Zainal Abidin Hassan from defence to the forward line and we had a lethal striker something which we can't do now because our present players do not know how to play in their present position what more a different one.
The choice of that present coach who would not admit that he has not in him the qualities to be a anational team coach only makes things worse. I still remember when he said we did not qualify because we lost to Vietnam.
Okay, that is fair, but does that mean that we knew all along that we could not beat Thailand? Anyway why did we lose to Vietnam in the first place? Did that idiot coach really pick the best players Malaysia has to offer?
The problem with us is favouritism and interference. Only privilaged players get chosen when Malaysia has many jewels ignored. These jewels are not hidden, they are there for the picking but they serve certain people in FAM no purpose and therefore excluded.
The reserve keeper Malaysia fielded in the match against Thailand wasn't even a regular keeper for his club team but the FAM people saw it fit to take him along for the ride. The way he fumbled makes my balls want to hide in shame. Why was he picked? Is it because of connections? Look we don't have foreign keepers so all the keeprs playing in our league are locals and I am sure that are safer pairs of hands than his.
We struggled to beat Laos. In the warm up matches we were trounced by Myanmar. Lets learn from teams like this. Leave Singapore aside because they are a bunch of mercenaries but at least the few local players they fielded are real good players. At least they have good goalkeepers.
Do we know what ails Malaysian football? Yes, we do. If that is the case why nothing is being done about it? Like everything else in Malaysia, football is also part of the political equation so I don't think I would be able to be proud of a Malaysian football team anymore. I hope my Children or theirs would one day be touched by a Malaysian team as much as I was in the times of those great players mentioned earlier.
24 comments:
Brilliant posting!
We still have a football team meh? Remember last time, teams like Japan, Indonesia & Thailand is considered a walk over for Mokhtar, Chin Aun, Aru, Santokh & rakan rakan. Only name that struck fear on me was from the Koreans, Kim Jae Han and Cha Bum Kum. But with Chin Aun and Santokh at the back, we can still count on Mokhtar to do the damage up front.
Now I don't even recognise who plays for the national team. I rather admit we don't have a national football team because we are considered kucing kurap among the footballing nations in this region.
After Super Mokh and Towkay era, we in Penang still have players like Hassanmuddin Hassan, Chen Wooi Haw, Rukkumaran, Jelani Wilastra that made me entered the City Stadium at 4.30pm for the Malaysia Cup Competition.
Now if they pay me to watch their matches pun I tak mau.
david santos,
Thanx
frankie,
If that is the case then we could have met. During Hasamudin, Chen Wooi Haw's time I was also one of those who would get in at 4.30. I would be be at the granstand but would sit myself at the wooden platforms next to the main grandstand because that is where the actions are.
They will open with a curtain raiser at about 5.30 or 6.00 and usually it would be the Razak Cup team.
Who could forget the nippy Rukumaran at left wing. Those were the days la.
OH yes football at City Stadium Penang. I use to follow my dad to the stadium every time there is a match and he will sure to bring me along if I am a good boy. Football at that time is fun to me being a small boy but my memory at the stadium is more towards a Indian man going around shouting "Pop Pop Pop Kari Pop" that is my favorite.
Anonymous,
Who could forget that man. It is always, hangat hangat hangat even if the karipap was made in the morning.
You could even see him in BM High School when there was a football game.
cikgu,
kalau generasi generasi lama boleh berbangga dengan pemain pemain hebat yang mereka ada, bagaimana kami nanti nak berbangga dengan pemain pemain bola sepak generasi kami?
mahu bangga dengan hairuddin omar? kembar aidil? shukor adan? helmi eliza? indra putra@ryan giggs asia?
apa cerita yang mahu disampaikan nanti kepada cucu cucu kami di masa depan?
oh! saya ada ketika zaman azizul abu hanifah bermain bola sepak. perak terlalu hebat dengan jeneral di tengah padang. jaringan dari tendangan sudut menentang sabah takkan boleh dilupakan.
Salam Cikgu,
Hmm...those good old days, they had the fans cheering everywhere they go. Early in the 80's, we had the Tiger Squad which produced players you mentioned like Azizul, Karim Pin, and a few more. They played against South Korea and held them to a draw. The South Korean coach was in awe of them and FAM promised not to disband but continue to mold the team as one cohesive unit. Right the next year, the team was disbanded.
And if memory serves me right, our soccer began to take a downturn soon after a certain person took over the presidency. There were quiet allegations that bookies became bold because of him.
Once not only a force to be reckoned, we were also the host to Asia FA Headquarters for many years. Once, that is. Now, even the Asia FA has moved out...only several months back.
amcek,
Ya la, tak terpikir pulak saya, apa anak2 saya nak cerita kepada anak2 mereka tentang bola sepak Malaysia? Ya, kata Bolasepak adalah permainan yang baru di Malaysia, dulu2 orang Malaysia main gasing saja.
Shah,
I know for sure how certain matches were fixed. A bookie once told me about how a certain game would end and sure enough he was spot on.
What to expect even coaches are owed 4 months salary. Tak malu ka.
Chegu,
During my teh tarik kedai kopi talks with some old buddies we have talked about this situation many times. We concluded what malaysia is lacking is "Youth development". You see, football has become so competitive, tactical and technical that players are groomed to eat, sleep, think and play football from the age of 4 - 5 yrs old in countries known for producing talents like mills (holland, brazil, germany etc). This kids get identified at young age and are brought into academies where they are filtered then groomed. Football and academics working hand in hand. We can see products of such academies being absorbed to 1st team action in premium leagues around Europe at the tender age of 16 /17. Imagine how much experience they will have by the time they are 23 - 25!
Another factor in the lack of quality of our local league. We cannot advance if the league is mediocre, unless our top players go overseas to play. Just like Brazil that has a so-so league but all their top players are in Europe. How are we going to have a decent league if we cant even decide and keep debating on the issue of having import players in the league lah?
i love fooball, its a pity that now i cant even name 2 players in our national team, but I can tell you who the English, Italian, German, Spanish, Brazilian, and Argentinian 11st eleven off the top of my head. :(
Salam Chegu,
The good old days, so nostalgic. Though I was still young, those names will never escape form my mind.
Now under the son-in-law, he claimed that the world ranking has slightly improved. How KJ did that, he invited weaker teams competing in previous Merdeka cup, and scored 18 goals while conceded none.
The suzuki cup was the real test, and the team went no where. So much ado about the new VP for FAM.
Wassalam.
Salam cikgu.
Cakap pasal bola semua orang jadi panas. Marah-marah tak habis. The good old days were long,long gone! I did't know we still have a "football" team. You called the one we have now a "football" team??? More like the "water carrier team" for the Towkey and Super Mokh team. Buat sakit hati betul. Belanja berjuta-juta habuk pun tak dak!!! And one more thing cikgu. Itu kepala FAM bila mau turun. Tak tau malu. Really a national disaster.Sorry Cikgu for the rather strong language. But you lah we are talking about football !!!!
Riddzy,
We have football schools and other sport specialist schools but we produce trash.
I got 1st hand info from people who had worked at Bukit Jalil who complained of gross indiscipline at Bukit Jalil and the Principal's hands are tide because of politicians, so how do we produce winners?
Of course our sports development stinks because we never pick the best. It has always been pick those better connected.
Selections at state levels has always been bias. So FAM only pick from state players, what happen to those good ones that states chose not to pick because the coach don't like them or the officials have to have his quota of pemudas to keep his cawangans and bahagians happy?
We only have about 26 million people of which not many play football because of lack of space. If you are bias in chosing people from the small pool that you have, what quality will there be?
Our managers are simply shitheads.
Piggy,
Keep fucking politicians out of sports, that must be the Cardinal rule.
None of our leaders have done anything for sports be it Mahathir or Pak Lah.
Anonymous,
Belanja juta-juta tu sebab ada percent, kalau tak ada percent depa tak akan belanja langsung. Macam mana nak maju?
Cikgu,
Names like Jalil Che Din,A.Ghani Minhat,Arthur Koh,Arif Ariffin will never be forgotten coz to them soccer is part & parcel of their life. Money wasnt important but their commitment to the game & nation were their top priorities. In the 60's "Malaya" was a name to be reckon with & the Merdeka tournament was something special to us. Their names makes our rivals shivers.
Back then there were no TV sets but there was radio Malaya reporting secara "live". I remembered how I used to carry my portable radio in and out the toilet during one of the finals between Malaya and South Korea anxiously waiting for Ghani Minhat or Arthur Koh to score goals.
City stadium will be full even for club matches so is Padang Brown.
Those were the days.
Today you can count the number of spectators watching a Malaysia Cup game.No wonder the Batu Kawan stadium has turned into a white elephant.
Sepak bola di Malaysia sudah mampos!!!!!
cheers.
I remember seeing a recent fake FAM logo showing a toothless tiger and the change of FAM's name to Persatuan Kenasepak Malaysia. That about sums up the state of our football.
Ali,
Yes, I remember the radio commentaries of those days. They sure knew how to make matters interesting but one thing there were alot of "Gol!!!! oh tidak, tidak".
How to fill up the batu Kawan Stadium when you can't even fill a quarter of the City Stadium nowadays.
KKBOY,
The most apt description for an association that is not performing.
cikgu,
since everyone has broguth forward what needs to be said, i'm giving this topic a miss. our national team is a dud, shouldnt have sent to any tournament in the first place, not until they really pull their socks up. kalau tidak, buat malu je.
The only way we can qualify for the Olympics is to be the host!
Given the current state that we are in right now, not even Gerrard, Lampard, Owen, Terry, Caragher can save us. The current crop of players are not proud to don the national jersey, the coaches are all good in giving excuses while the management are all balls lickers to politicians.
Let the FAM be independant from politics. Approach the game like a sport; develope grassroots, young players. No favour to any players. Then we might see some improvement or else we might even struggle to beat a ladies team from Fiji!
Salam perkenalan,
Letih la citer pasal bola Malaysia nih. Tidak berkesudahan.
"Memperkasa Generasi Baru"
Pergerakan Pemuda
UMNO Cawangan Taman IKS
Bahagian Batu WP
http://pemudaiks.blogspot.com
Bastard M#$%^&rs in FAM are draining all our hard earned tax money! They only pick players who polish or s&*k their dicks! FAP used to be the place for best footballers in Malaysia until they privatised it.
Nothing beats the karipap (tambah bawang) at City stadium those days. I used to be in the cadet corps that assisted in crowd duty during the matches so got free show. And the only soccer violence comes from fans who over-shouted every time the Pg team scored.
Chegu, you missed our Isa Bakar from Pg.
Mucho regards.
Post a Comment