The season is now reaching to the third quarter term, where play off matches are expected to be played. But frankly when i saw more traditional powerhouse like Kedah struggling to stay up in the super league, then i concluded that football management in Malaysia need a help. A profesional help.
There is also Perlis relegated to the FAM league (third tier competition) and to remind all of us, Perlis were Malaysia cup champions back in 2004 & 2006 if not mistaken. I suspect lack of funds was the main reason behind these downfalls. When you dont have enough funds to attract top talent in term of salary war, then you was forced to search for lesser or shall i say 'B grade' players. A team full of B or C grade players will eventually pull you down to the bottom of the league. Not to mention lack of dressing room harmony due to lack of incentives such as winning bonuses payment being deffered.
I want to suggest to the M League authority, the time has come to change our way of work. The football league in this country is no longer an ordinary entertainment, or it is no longer a charity organization used by certain party for their own personal agendas. Our football league is now in need for bigger investment in term of sponsorships, or some refer as ventures.
The league itself must be a separate entity, or at least a partly owned company of FAM. The Malaysian Super League must be a separate company or at least FAM could only have 40% share in that company. I suggest FAM, as the highest football governing body in this country to find a profesional and neutral party to organize, managing and run the league. In a simpler word, FAM to outsource the M league to an outside company. FAM will eventually be the principle owner with certain percentage of shares, while the third party company will be the league's operator with some extended authority.
In our case, MALAYSIA SUPER LEAGUE SDN BHD must have that extended authority in handling the domestic league. extended authority or similar to financial autonomy should be given to the MSL SB. With proper handover, MSL SB will govern the league with a more profesional approach. MSL SB should be allowed to negotiate with the main sponsors on any sponsorship deals, should be allowed to negotiate with TV revenues, should be allowed for full scale league's financial budget and other corporate planning.
When the structure is in place, then MSL SB need to design a very competitive league format such as to have 16 team competing in the Super league, 16 teams in Premier league, 10 teams in FAM league, and 8 to 10 teams in regional leagues (central, north, east, south and east malaysia region).
Malaysian league as an industry? We can achieve it by focusing on high income that could be generated by the league, players and corporate sponsors. I suggest for the league to grant high financial sponsors package to then teams. I estimate around RM 15 million a year for each team competing in super league. High financial grant will, in return help the team to offer great salary package to their players. The funds available will enable the clubs to keep aside some money for saving, reinvestment or generate more money through some side business ventures such as merchandizing store.
MSL SB as the license holder of the leagues may offer local or international investor to invest in the league. MSL SB also may appeal to the government to grant a special tax exemption for any company that interested to invest. Yes, lure the investor to invest. Like i said before, football must be treated as a national agenda. The football authority must go beyond the ordinary thinking, set aside any political or self interest. By making the football league as an industry is the only way moving forward. No more struggling states with rely on states government funds, no more players with deffered salary bills. Our football must go big in full scale.
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