While skills and knowledge can be learned, talent is instinctive. Tapping the talent zeitgeist is more important than ever before.
Thus the statement by the Deputy Minister was spot on, we have a problem in football in Malaysia and the sooner those warming the chair accept the fact, the faster we can rectify the situation. But from what can be seen, there is a state of denial, that everything is in order in football, that our moving up the rankings in good news, that the MSL is doing well, but those are just smoke clouds.
In our national perspective, let me give my two cents worth on how we can develop football in the country.
Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal were not this strong twenty years ago, and there has never been a club with the wealth of Chelsea. But while Chelsea have the Russian gravy train to help them win the accolades, clubs like United, Arsenal and Liverpool (post Rafa Benitez) had the foresight to develop talented youngsters.
Neglecting development of the youth means that there will be a heavy price to pay in the future and this malice is not just limited to clubs in the English Premier League but on own on soil we face a problem. And that FAM is the crux of the problem
Having a schools league with the Ministry of Education is not going to save Malaysian football, especially with the current scenario.
The Football Association of Malaysia and the Government needs to invest in grass roots level, and I can give a number of reasons for them to do so. For investing at grassroots means providing employment for qualified coaches, good facilities which include the playing fields and equipment.
Those in authority also need to promote the idea of small sided games. As coaches, the main focus of the coaching courses is small sided games (i.e. six-a-side, seven-a-side). Thus, if qualified coaches are employed in youth football they can impart their knowledge on the club they are working with. I hope that this makes some sense to those who are responsible.
