Being involved in local football, albeit as an observer, has been exhilarating (to say the least) when it comes to listening to the crowds chanting at local stadiums. The good old "referee kayu" though has not been heard, despite the men in black being their usual consistently inconsistent selves.
However, all around the country, a very derogatory Bahasa Malaysia word is ringing out loud and clear. And I mean, really loud and clear!
The chanting of "FAM Ba***at" which can be heard from North to South and East to West, as derogatory as it is, can be construed as a plea from the fans.
The fans plead for change in the FAM hierarchy. They plead for innovation in football. They plead for a national team to brag about. They plead for mercy!
The fans have had enough. The national body that has custody of the game has acted like tyrants.
Doing the exact opposite of what they are supposed to in the interest of national football, due to their personal vendettas, they are instead ruling by suppression or just a simple lack of intelligence and that has caused the fans plenty of anguish.
Football in our country has lacked direction in what feels like forever now.
Until a dynamic football loving Sports Minister came along and put in place a National Football Development Project, all we have had from the corridors of FAM are incompetent people who are asked to be their incompetent best.
The departments in FAM embarrass themselves with a lack of know-how and if ever there has been a person with some credibility, no matter how little, plans and ideas die a natural death because of a lack of governance.
As an example, not too long ago there was a Road Map unveiled with the usual fanfare but it certainly looks like the Map ran out of Road. This is just an example.
And if memory serves me right, we were expected to be in Brazil. There was a project 2014 that, as ludicrous as it was, again served only as bravado. Quite perhaps as an election gimmick.
FAM, knowingly or not, has become a power onto themselves. And this power has been abused with the arrogant suppression of individuals who dare to make a difference.
Not too long ago, a very brave soul from within the FAM ranks stupidly said, FIFA rankings are not important! With obvious arrogance and self-interest, this statement was made without realisation that the progression of the national team is vital for the progress of club/state football.
The FIFA rankings are used to determine at what level continentally club/state football teams can compete.
The investments made in football are always about progressing football. Are we happy and contented competing in the AFC Cup? Are we happy and contented that we do not have an automatic spot in the AFC Champions League playoffs?
Playing and competing in the AFC Champions League, which is the premier club competition in Asia, will expose our players to a higher standard of football. Regular AFC Champions League football will improve our players who will then help raise the standard of our national team.
In the AFC Cup we play the might of Maldives, India and Hong Kong, and no disrespect to these countries, but we need to improve.
And to improve, we need to play the best from Japan, China and South Korea.
Club football helps develop national teams. Not playing Arsenal, Manchester United or Barcelona.
Sure, European giants are easier to sell from a marketing viewpoint to your average fan, but these are not teams that we are able to learn from when they come for holidays (sorry, "tours") in the summer.
The FAM has gotten it all wrong and nevertheless keeps repeating the same mistakes. There is a hard-headedness that plagues the Football Association of Malaysia.
But now the FAM has earned a surname, and it is a surname that is a noose around the neck! And the fans have the rope in their hands!
The fans have taken the responsibility of resurrecting football in their own hands and even disrupted the international friendly between Malaysia and the Philippines not too long ago with their loud demands.
The fans have spoken and FAM cannot plead ignorance anymore.
And I have been singing the same tune since 1997. No apologies if I have sounded like a broken record. It has been equally difficult saying it on radio, television and print as it has been for you hearing it.
And the chanting continues. – May 21, 2014.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.
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