Whatever it is, Singaporeans play better football than Malaysians do, which makes me doomed with mixed feelings of madness, fury, embarrassment, discontent and disbelief on how a small country, could make it big in football, at least in Asia. Its official, 3 Singaporeans confirmed their place on the list of 25 candidates to bid for 2008 AFC Player of The Year. They are Aleksandar Duric, Indra Sahdan Daud and Mohammad Shahril Ishak who set to sit on the same roll alongside the likes of South Korean’s evergreen left-footed magician Seol Ki-Hyeon, Middlesbrough stronghold guardian Mark Schwarzer and Tottenham Hotspur’s Lee Young Pyo.

The likes of our starlets in Akhmal Rizal Ahmad Rakhli; who tipped to be the next big thing after his two years stint with French side Racing Strasbourg, Aidil Zafuan and Zaquan Adha twin brothers; who come into view promoting cute Malaysian jersey on some Nike’s adverts, among others, couldn’t be seen on the list. It might be an indication that few hundreds thousands of ringgits if not millions spent by FAM are clear partisan and merely done under undisclosed political agenda. And just few weeks before, FAM sent two Kedah players in Badrol Bakhtiar and a newly promising (as always) chap in Bunyamin Omar to train with Chelsea.

Cute jersey, isn't it?

To acquire new experience. They say.

A waste of money. I say, given that people in Chelsea might have more interest working on their Barclays Premier League campaign rather than grooming underachieving, short, physically disadvantaged Asian players.

The feat reminded me of our Angkasawan, who was sent to space for RM3.4 billion. Malaysia beefed up its air force, became the 38th country to send a person into space and found prospects to explore how gasing works in zero gravity when there are still 75,000 drug addicts, 57,000 people with HIV and 65,000 reported cases of motorcycle theft in Malaysia, not to mention thousands more living in poverty.

RM3.4b logo

If not because of science, we sent him for international recognition. Well, pepatah Melayu said it best in the saying

Ukur baju biarlah di badan sendiri

Why not start with the quality of our grass root football. I am sure there are plenty of football enthusiast and real football hero around who works around the clock organizing football tournaments around the country, asking for sponsorship and monetary supports. They need the money. Our football scene needs the money.

The admissions of the three Singaporeans players speak volume on how Singaporean football has grown by leaps and bounds, which definitely sends a clear message why they quit from Malaysian football many years ago – Malaysians football are not up to the standards they want to pull off their career.

I was particularly dejected, not because of their achievement, but more towards Malaysian football apathetic attitude towards making it big in the world arena. It seems that we are not serious enough to make into the fray where big players would look up and see us as a stern competitor.

Stop calling them kiasu I suppose. They achieve more than us as we speak.

Anyhow, I love this country.

Towards a lively Malaysian football scene, and a much matured Malaysia.