Kick off: Najib kicking a ball at the launch of the People’s Football League as Tengku Abdullah (third from left) looks on.
PEKAN: It is fine to criticise the state of the country’s football but it would be better to lend a hand to improve on its quality, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
He said the Government was committed to developing football at the grassroots level and fill the talent vacuum but at the same time, there needed to be a comprehensive development plan in place.
The Prime Minister said as such, the Government would support the People’s Football League, which presents a platform to discover new talents.
The league idea was mooted by Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah. It aims to set up a new track of developing football and potential talents in a systematic method.
“A football development plan must not be left on its own and should be implemented scientifically, professionally and in an orderly manner,” Najib said. “And, only then we can see new talents grow, whether in quantity or quality.
“Even though we won the AFF Suzuki Cup several years ago, 70% of the champion team actually came from the Bukit Jalil Sports School. In other words, the channel to produce new talents is too narrow and limited. We do not have a comprehensive source.
“So, when Tengku Abdullah mooted the league as a way to expand the talent base, I spontaneously agreed to it because I see it as a football development plan for the nation,” Najib said at the launch of the league here yesterday.
He added that the league’s focus should not solely be on winning but also to expand the pool of talents.
Najib said the Government would contribute RM5mil towards the league this year with Bank Rakyat matching the sponsorship.
He said the Government, with the bank, would also sponsor the league for the next three years.
Present at the launch were Tengku Abdullah, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin, Bank Rakyat chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Zainal and state Youth and Sports Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Johari Hussain.
