DBasia.news – KUALA LUMPUR: “In the past, even in our difficult situation, we were able to produce Olympic level teams, why now with all the facilities we have, we failed to do so and are relying on naturalized players?”
The question was raised by former national striker Syed Ahmad Syed Abu Bakar who clearly disagreed with the idea of using a naturalized player to change the fate of Harimau Malaya.
Syed Ahmad, among the heroes who helped the national team win the Asian Games bronze medal in Tehran 1974, believed that Malaysia still have talented players who could be expected to venture on international stage.
“As a former player I feel ashamed to hear that we want foreign players to assist the national squad. Are our players so bad to the point where we need to call someone else for help?
“I realize when I speak like this, people will say I am old, out of date and not in the current. They said the world’s great forces used naturalised players.
“Why don’t we want to follow Japan and South Korea’s way to qualify for the World Cup without the naturalised players as they were the teams we have beaten in the past?” Asked Syed Ahmad.
He said the situation that hit national football now clearly shows something is wrong with the football system and is the responsibility of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to study and correct it.
“I’m convinced that we are not lacking on the players, FAM has to do more work, we can not find an easy way to get players outside,” said Syed Ahmad.
In fact, he has embraced FAM’s proposal to send Deputy President Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mahadi to Brazil and Cameroon to study the use of naturalized players.
“Would not it be better to send FAM officers to study how Japan and Korea can succeed. I think it’s more beneficial because of how long we want to rely on naturalists, we have to expect the local players, too, “he said.
The issue of naturalized player use again was debated after FAM president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin recently revealed the master body’s intention to strengthen the Harimau Malaya squad by bringing in a naturalized player.
Based on the polls conducted by the NSTP, Harian Metro, Berita Harian and New Straits Times newspaper, enthusiasts have supported this suggestion as they are tired of the failure of the Harimau Malaya.