Decline in football self-inflicted

Commercialization and politicization cause of decline

I refer to the report “Tengku Abdullah quits as FAM deputy president”(Star July 16).

The Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah’s decision to quit as deputy president of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to make way for new blood is an honorable gesture on his part. This shows that he has put the interest of football fans above his own. His willingness to apologise to every spectator only shows his magnanimity.

Malaysians in general and footfall fans in particular are deeply disappointed with the dismal performance of the national team in the on-going Asian Cup, which the country is co-hosting. We have been thrashed by teams like China and Uzbekistan who are rather new comers in international soccer scene.

The FAM should take collective responsibility for the debacle in the current Asian Cup . The whole committee should follow Tengku Abdullah’s footsteps and make way for new people to take over so that they can bring necessary new changes for the good of football in the country.

There is no doubt that the standard of football has been deteriorating over these years. From being an Asian power in the sixties we have been reduced, or rather reduced ourselves, to a shameful position in the most popular sport in the world. Countries which were unknown entities then have overtaken us to levels beyond our reach. We are now far behind Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia. Where have we gone wrong?

The two main causes of our continuing failure are politicization and commercialization of football and sports in general. Like in all the fields sports too is being seen as money spinning enterprise where professionalism, quality, national pride and ethics of the game take a back stage compared to monetary gains.

Politicization of football has resulted in favouritism rather than merit being the more important criteria in the selection of players and officials. There is general skepticism on whether the best get selected to represent the nation.

We have been focusing on the building of sophisticated sports complexes to host the various international tournaments. In fact we have gained a reputation internationally as good and efficient organizers of these tournaments. In that enthusiasm we have missed the main target that is to develop the sport among our own youth who have likewise become good spectators.

Despite its popularity, football in one of the cheapest games, that is affordable by the masses even in poor countries. All that is needed is a field that is a permanent one time investment, a ball and a pair of boots. Unfortunately playing fields which were easily and freely available to our youth during the sixties and seventies when we were an Asian football giant are hard to come by these days.

Development has taken heavy toll on football by eliminating all available fields. They have been replaced with magnificent mega structures, shopping complexes and stadiums especially in the major towns and cities. This in turn has transformed our youth from being active players to active spectators of football being hosted in the various modern stadiums. In the final outcome it is the organizers who stand to be the gainers, reaping huge profits from hosting the various tournaments. Commercialization of the sport had dealt a great blow to its development.

We do not need sophisticated and high-tech sports complexes as they are beyond the means of the vast majority of our youths. The single most important means of developing football is to take the game to the masses all over the country. Playing fields must be made available to them freely in schools and districts all over. Selection of the players must be solely on merit not on favoritism. Officials well qualified in the game should be selected and given the freedom to manage the teams more professionally without undue interference.

We have the money and the talent, all we need is the will to get dedicated and loyal officials, managers and coaches who are genuinely interested to bring honor and glory, not for them but, for the nation. Until we find these leaders, which appears to be a formidable task, we have to be contended being mere spectators, at the most organizers, of international football tournaments. In the meantime our aspirations of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup finals will only be a dream.

Dr.Chris Anthony