DECEMBER NEWS
A NEW ERA
UPB-MyTEAM are bold to go against the tide in an era where football clubs are likely to suffer losses and fold.
Forming the team not for the glamour of winning but of unearthing new talent, the Premier League debutants have a different approach.
Local fans are tired of teams with big budgets ala English Premier League outfit Chelsea, but who fail to deliver when it matters. MPPJ and Public Bank suffered such fates.
With a logo similar to that of a European-based club, the new UPB-MyTeam are not overzealous but |
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remain modest in their affair towards the local scene.
Team manager Khairy
Jamaluddin has said over and over
again the club hope to sustain their
performance as part of their long
term plan to project skilful players.
"We don't want
to have a big budget and spend unnecessarily
only to fold a year later,"
said Khairy.
Perhaps they are trying
to emulate Tottenham in moulding
young players for the national squad.
Khairy said he would prefer the
team be tagged West Ham.
The zenith of UPB-MyTeams
road to the M-League is reviving
Merdeka Stadium. While the team,
for now, call Hang Tuah Stadium
in Malacca as their home venue,
Khairy said it would be practical
for them to call KL their home instead.
If that is so, Khairy
has just spoke for the hundreds
and thousands of sporting fans who
would love to see Stadium Merdeka
hosting more than concerts.
DECEMBER
NEWS
Intriguing
debut season for MyTeam
ONCE they settle on the line-up
for what could be an intriguing
debut season, Perak UPB-MyTeam will
be busy keeping their detractors
at bay when the Premier League kicks
off on Dec 22.
Formed on the idea
that a new concept was required
to ferret out the players at grassroots
level, MyTeam have taken over the
management of the United Plantation
Berhad outfit, giving them the right
to play in the league without having
to go through the normal process.
From an amateur outfit
that stirred interest back into
the team, MyTeam have been transformed
into a professional team in a league
that remains in perpetual darkness,
in the blink of an eye, one might
add.
However, let's give
credit to their backers, individuals
who share a passion for the game.
Coached by Bojan Hodak,
they have made two crucial signings,
two players of proven quality -
defensive bulwark Kaironnisam Sahabuddin
Hussain and former Kuala Lumpur,
Selangor and NS Naza attacker, Nizaruddin
Yusof.
Although Nizaruddin
is a pale shadow of his former bustling
self, he still packs a powerful
shot and remains one of the most
intelligent strikers around.
Ever since he was
introduced to the national team
in 2001, Kedah-born Kaironnisam,
or Botak to his friends, has been
an ever-present in the national
set-up. At 27, he is far from being
a spent force.
Getting a recall from
national coach Norizan Bakar for
the Doha Asian Games might just
be the tonic for Botak to delete
the bitter memories of 2006, when
he was forced to leave the financially
challenged Selangor MPPJ.
"Joining this
team is a challenge for me but I'm
game for it," said Kaironnisam.
Another of MPPJ's
ex-employee, striker Haris Safwan
Kamal is also expected to start
afresh as Hodak seeks to form a
respectable unit out of a group
of reality TV footballers and players
of repute.
As many as 10 players
who played for MyTeam in the 2-1
defeat to the national Under-20
team in May are likely to be retained.
Backed by chairman
and ManYoo fan Khairy Jamaluddin
and his friends who are equally
enthusiastic about football, MyTeam
will not expect any favours from
their rivals. Interestingly they
were given a bye in the FA Cup next
season by the luck of the draw.
MyTeam are one of
11 teams challenging for honours
in the Premier League.
The Premier
League, apart from MyTeam, will
be contested by Police, Shahzan
Muda, PKNS, Kuala Lumpur, Armed
Forces, Kuala Muda Naza, Kelantan,
Plus FC, Sabah and Pasir Gudang.
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