SHAH ALAM, 15 Aug: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) should formulate a plan to develop the next generation of players more consistently and progressively for a long-term plan to restore the glory of football in the country.
The former Selangor Team Manager, Zakaria Abdul Rahim, said that FAM should prepare a development plan for the next 15 years at least.
He said that FAM should emulate the long-term commitments of other developed countries in the development of sports, especially football.
“Like Germany, who won the last 2014 World Cup, most of the players are young players who have been trained since childhood.
“Germany took a long time before they clinched the cup. The wait was clearly worthwhile,” he told Selangor Kini.
He was contacted to comment on the position and direction of Malaysian football which has now fallen to 155 in the latest ranking of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).
Commenting further, Zakaria also urged the FAM to take the opportunity to use the experience and expertise of the former assistant coach of the Bayern Munich under 19 team, Lim Teong Kim, in developing the next generation of national footballers.
“He is now here, so take this opportunity and ask for his help in tapping and developing the talents of Malaysian football.
“In addition to that, ensure that programmes organised are really beneficial and funds given are spent wisely for the development of football,” he added.
Teong Kim who was recently appointed as the Director of the National Football Development Project had also played in Europe in the Hertha BSC team in Germany in 1987.
NS
