UPB-MyTeam Fail To Catch Up With Police

UPB-MyTeam, who are in second place in the Premier League behind Police,
failed to make any headway when they went down 1-3 to Johor Pasir Gudang at
the Larkin Stadium in Johor Baharu tonight.
UPB-MyTeam still remain with 35 points and are five points behind Police
who have 40 points.

Third-placed Selangor PKNS have only 29 points and pose no challenge to the
two teams, who have qualified for promotion to the Super League next season.
In the game at the Larkin Stadium, Johor Pasir Gudang took the lead in 10th
minute through Shukri Ismail but UPB-MyTeam's Merin Mikac levelled play in
the 67th minute.

However, Johor Pasir Gudang picked up the tempo after that and made sure
the visitors returned empty=handed when Franklin Sukami and Ivan Senjo
netted the other goals in the 76th and 90th minutes.
In Cheras here, Selangor PKNS beat KL Plus 3-1 at the Kuala Lumpur Football
Stadium.

PKNS' goals were scored by Mohaizam Shah Dawood Shah (11th), Mohd Fitri
Omar (45th) and Mohd Alapi Mohmud (85th) while KL Plus' was through Martin
Carlos Dell in the 80th minute.

MyTeam2 jelajah 13 venue seluruh negara cari 39 pemain

KEJAYAAN layak ke saingan Liga Super musim depan, menjadi pembakar
semangat kepada musim baru program pencarian bakat bola sepak realiti,
MyTeam2, yang akan mula menjelajah 13 venue seluruh negara untuk
memilih 39 pemain bermula di Dataran Ipoh, Perak, 30 Jun ini.

Lawan yang menanti skuad baru itu bagaimanapun berlainan berbanding
tahun lalu apabila mereka akan berdepan pasukan kebangsaan Indonesia
di Stadium Bukit Jalil, 21 Oktober ini.

Sesi pemilihan kali ini menampilkan kelainan dalam disiplin pecutan
apabila penganjur memutuskan memendekkan jarak larian daripada 100m
kepada 60m di bawah lapan saat.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif MyTeam, Khairy Jamaludin, berkata penukaran
jarak itu adalah bersandarkan nasihat pakar sains sukan Majlis Sukan
Negara bagi melahirkan pemain yang memiliki tahap refleksi dan
kepantasan terbaik.

"Penukaran ini bermakna kita memperketatkan tahap kelayakan pemain
yang akan diserap kerana berdasarkan teori sains sukan, 30m pertama
lebih kepada daya pecutan dan baki jarak lebih terarah kepada
pengekalan kelajuan," katanya.

Daripada 39 pemain, jumlah itu bakal berkurangan kepada separuh
apabila mereka mengikuti sesi kem pemilihan fasa dua yang berlangsung
selama empat minggu. Fasa latihan tiga pula bakal terjurus kepada
penilaian panel pemilihan untuk memilih kesebelasan utama skuad itu
dalam tempoh dua minggu

Musim kedua MyTeam kembali 30 Jun ini

PROGRAM realiti TV pencarian bakat bola sepak, MyTeam kini kembali
lagi bagi musim kedua dengan sedikit pembaharuan serta kemuncak final
bertemu pasukan kebangsaan Indonesia di Stadium Nasional, Bukit Jalil,
21 Oktober depan.

Dipanggil 'MyTeam2', program itu dimulakan di Ipoh 30 Jun ini dan akan
menjelajah 13 gelanggang seluruh negara bagi mencungkil bakat baru di
kalangan pemain yang masih bergelar amatur.

Mengekalkan gandingan jurulatih yang sama, Serbegeth Singh atau lebih
dikenali sebagai Shebby Singh dan pengendali import dari Croatia,
Bojan Hodak, Pengarah Eksekutif dan Pengerusi Maya Team Sdn Bhd,
Khairy Jamaluddin berkata, program itu mampu mencungkil bakat baru
yang boleh diketengahkan.

"Kami bersetuju untuk meneruskan program ini untuk musim kedua bagi
menjalankan pemilihan terbuka dalam memilih bakat-bakat baru. Shebby
dan Bojan kekal bersama program ini yang juga satu jenama, satu impian
dan kini sebuah pasukan.

"Tahun lalu, 23,000 pemain tampil untuk menjalani ujian pemilihan
terbuka dan program ini diklasifikasikan sebagai program televisyen
nombor tiga terbaik di negara ini," katanya selepas majlis pelancaran
'MyTeam2' oleh Menteri Belia dan Sukan, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman di
ibu negara, semalam.

Berbanding tahun lalu, yang mana pasukan MyTeam tumpas 2-1 kepada
pasukan kebangsaan dibarisi pemain Bawah 21 Tahun dan tiga pemain
senior, dalam aksi final di Stadium Nasional, mereka bakal berdepan
cabaran Indonesia pula.

"Konsep realiti tv ini terbukti berjaya, apatah lagi pasukan
UPB-MyTeam yang beraksi dalam Liga Perdana dengan 15 pemain daripada
skuad MyTeam tahun lalu, sudah berjaya menempah tiket beraksi di Liga
Super musim depan," katanya.

Khairy juga berbangga beberapa pemain seperti Azmi Muslim, yang
dicungkil daripada program musim lalu, sudah berjaya menempatkan diri
dalam skuad Olimpik negara manakala pemain lain yang sebelumnya tidak
mempunyai pekerjaan tetap, berjaya menceburi kerjaya dalam bidang bola
sepak.

Sementara itu, Azalina berkata, kementeriannya akan terus menyokong
sebarang usaha untuk mencungkil bakat terpendam di peringkat akar umbi
yang mampu memberikan sumbangan terhadap perkembangan sukan negara,
amnya.

"Kementerian tidak teragak-agak untuk menyokong program seperti ini
kerana pencarian bakat perlu digalakkan dan ada antara
individu-individu di luar sana yang berbakat tetapi tidak mendapat
tempat," katanya.

Lebih menarik, Maya Team Sdn Bhd diketuai Khairy dan Ketua Pegawai
Eksekutif, Jason Loo akan turun ke Jakarta hari ini untuk melancarkan
program 'MyTeam Indonesia' pula.

Football: MyTeam success story to continue

AS scripts go, yesterday's launch of the second season of reality
football programme MyTeam2 was perfect as just the night before.

That was achieved thanks to a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Kelantan
at the KLFA Stadium in Cheras, which gives UPB-MyTeam 35 points with
three more matches to play. While they remain in second spot five
points behind Police, third-placed PKNS have 26 points but only two
matches remaining while Sabah have 25 with three matches to play.

Little wonder then that MyTeam2 executive producer Khairy Jamaluddin
was in a buoyant mood at the launch in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
"Promotion was earned with 15 players from last year's programme in
the squad. We spoke about turning dreams into reality and we proved
that with the right attitude, spirit and belief, anything is
possible," said Khairy.

Also present at the launch was Sports Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.
Azalina said the Sports Ministry is fully supportive of the programme.
"We are happy to see the private sector coming forward to support
this programme as it provides an avenue for players to be identified,"
said Azalina.

The programme starts on June 30 and selection trials will be held in
13 venues with the best shortlisted for training under Serbegeth Singh
and Boyan Hodak.

The final squad will play the Indonesian national team on Oct 21 at
the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

"Why Indonesia? Because when we asked the FA of Malaysia (FAM) for a
rematch with the national team, they said no but it doesn't matter,"
said Khairy.

Last year's match saw MyTeam losing 2-1 to the national Under-20 team
which was strengthened with three senior players.

"What matters is a chance for non-professionals to be given a chance
to make football a career. We have 15 from last year's programme in
the Premier League squad and we delivered on our promise."

A similar programme will be launched in Indonesia today and Khairy
said if everything goes well, MyTeam Malaysia will play MyTeam
Indonesia later in the year.

"But for now, we will focus on identifying new talent as we will need
more resources for our MSL challenge next season."

MyTeam gain promotion to Super League next season

Premier League side UPB-MyTeam FC have claimed the final promotion
ticket to play in the top flight next season. The club side, who
evolved from a reality show to unearth football talent nationwide last
year, have taken an unassailable lead in second place behind Police by
beating Kelantan 2-1 on Tuesday. With three more matches to play,
Police have 40 points – five points more than UPB-MyTeam.

Third-placed PKNS and fourth-placed Sabah blew their chances to gain
promotion when they lost their matches on Tuesday. PKNS, with two
matches to play, have 26 points while Sabah can only finish with a
maximum of 34 points.

A delighted president and team manager of UPB-MyTeam, Khairy
Jamaluddin, said at a press conference yesterday their achievement was
a fairy-tale run.

"From the beginning, nobody gave us a chance," said Khairy at the
launch of MyTeam2 yesterday. "We believed in ourselves and then
thought we should go professional after the match against the national
Under-20 side last year. We teamed up with Perak UPB in the Premier
League this year. Now we have won promotion and I promise we will be
gunning for honours in the Super League."

In teaming up with Perak UPB (formerly Perak Jenderatta), 15 players
from the reality show were given the chance to make their debut in the
Premier League. Several seasoned players were also roped in,
including national skipper Kaironissam Shahabuddin, Mohd Nizaruddin
Yusop, Mohd Harris Sawfan Kamal, Mohd Faizal Abdul Rashid and Yosri
Dermaraju.

Khairy, however, said that their success in winning promotion was not
an easy task. "They came from behind to edge Kelantan at the KL
Football Stadium and the results of the other matches fell in their
favour. Sabah were beaten 0-1 by Johor Pasir Gudang and PKNS went down
0-3 to Armed Forces.

"Kelantan stole an early goal but we fought back to draw level and had
to wait five minutes from time before Hasmizan Kamaroddin scored with
an over-head kick to get us the three vital points," said Khairy.

Hazmizan was the skipper of MyTeam when they played against the
national Under-20 side at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil last
year.

MyTeam plan to fight Police all the way to Premier League crown

Having gained promotion to the Super League, UPB-MyTeam FC will now
give Police a run for their money in the pursuit of the Premier League
title, which offers RM200,000 in prize money.

With three more matches to play, UPB-MyTeam are five points behind
Police, who have 40 points.

Club president and team manager Khairy Jamaluddin (pic) said that they
still had a fighting chance and " will give chase till the end".

His team's remaining fixtures are against Johor PG (June 12, away),
Kuala Muda Naza (June 19, away) and Police (July 31, home).

Police are certainly in the driver's seat and could seal the title
with a match to spare against UPB-MyTeam. They need five points from
their remaining matches and will take the title if they beat KL Plus
(June 23, away) and Sabah (July 3, home).

Police coach K. Thaiyanathan said that his team would not let slip the
golden opportunity to win a major silverware for the first time in
their history.

"There is so much at stake and the boys know it. We have achieved our
target to win promotion and we want to be champions as well," he said.

However, Police will have to tread with caution. They were beaten by
UPB-MyTeam (1-2) and Sabah (1-3) in the first round.

MyTeam Sets Out To Accomplish Bigger Dreams

The success of the MyTeam reality TV football programme in producing a
formidable team - UPB-MyTeam- in the Malaysian Premier League football
competition has led to the launch of a second team - MyTeam2.

"After a nationwide search to identify talented players, we fielded a
team in the Premier League and managed to gain promotion in our very
first attempt.
"This success speaks volumes of our commitment, prudent management
and ability to transform dreams into reality. That success has become
a catalyst for us to launch MyTeam2 in order to unearth more fresh
talent," said UPB-MyTeam president Khairy Jamaluddin when launching
MyTeam2 here Wednesday.

He added that the success of the MyTeam reality TV show, which
actually spurred young footballers to take up the sport more
seriously, had also drawn interest from Indonesia, which will start a
similar programme there.

"Indonesia will have their own MyTeam programme to generate interest
among their population and by end of the year, MyTeam will play
against an Indonesian selection," he said.

UPB-MyTeam, second in the league table on 35 points, five points
behind leader Police, gained promotion to the Super League after
yesterday's fixtures were played out.

"We are going to face a bigger challenge in the Super League next
season and that will require a bigger budget but we are ready to face
it with support from sponsors like Maxis, AirAsia, Naza, TV3 and
Adidas," he said.

Khairy who initiated MyTeam together with his friend Jason Lo said
the MyTeam2 talent search would kick off soon and be held at 13 venues
nationwide.
He added that for a start, players will go through a speed test over
a 60m distance and they must do it in eight seconds or less.

"Last year, the speed test was over 100m and they were required to
cover the distance in 12 seconds," he added.

MyTeam2 pilih Indonesia

Siri realiti TV bola sepak pertama negara, MyTeam yang bakal kembali
bagi musim kedua, MyTeam2 pada 30 Jun ini, menampilkan perlawanan
kemuncak baru dengan memilih pasukan kebangsaan Indonesia sebagai
lawannya.

Jika musim pertama menemukan mereka dengan Pilihan Malaysia, kali ini
39 pemain yang bakal dipilih daripada ujian pemilihan di 13 tempat
seluruh negara, berpeluang beradu kehebatan dengan pasukan negara
jiran itu di Stadium Nasional, Bukit Jalil pada 21 Oktober.

Penerbit Eksekutif MAYA Team Sdn. Bhd., penerbit siri berkenaan,
Khairy Jamaludin berkata, Indonesia dipilih kerana mereka mahu mencari
cabaran baru atau kelainan sekali gus membuka mata banyak pihak yang
sering memperkecilkan kemampuan dan matlamat MyTeam.

"Mereka yang terpilih juga akan berpeluang diserapkan ke skuad
UPB-MyTeam yang dinaikkan ke Liga Super musim depan selepas
mengesahkan tempat mereka di dua tangga teratas Liga Perdana ketika
ini (dalam penampilan sulung Liga Malaysia).

"Kejayaan UPB-MyTeam ke Liga Super musim depan akan kami gunakan
dengan sebaik-baiknya malah berjaya membuktikan kebolehan kami bahawa
pasukan ini bukanlah sekadar pandai bercakap dan berangan kosong,''
ujar Khairy.

MyTeam merupakan pasukan bola sepak realiti TV hasil cetusan ilham
Khairy Jamaludin dan bekas penghibur, Jason Lo yang menjelajah seluruh
negara pada tahun lalu untuk mencungkil bakat baru pemain amatur dari
latar belakang yang berbeza.

Khairy berkata demikian selepas majlis pelancaran MyTeam2 bersama
Menteri Belia dan Sukan, Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said di Planet
Hollywood di sini, semalam. Turut hadir ialah Serbegeth Singh atau
Shebby yang dikekalkan sebagai pengacara dan Bojan Hodak selaku
jurulatih.

Ciri baru lain persembahan MyTeam2 ialah berkaitan ujian larian yang
mewajibkan pesertanya melepasi jarak 60 meter dalam masa lapan saat
untuk ke pusingan seterusnya dan bukan lagi 100 meter di bawah 12 saat
seperti yang dijalankan pada musim pertama lalu.

Ujian pemilihan akan dijalankan mulai 30 Jun di Padang Ipoh, Perak; 1
Julai di Padang USM, Pulau Pinang; 7 Julai di Dataran Bandaraya, Johor
Bahru; 8 Julai di Dataran Bandaraya Melaka; 14 Julai di Padang Hijau
Kuning, Alor Setar; 15 Julai di Padang Kompleks Sukan, Kangar; 21
Julai di Taman Awam Batu Buruk, Kuala Terengganu.

Ia turut diadakan pada 22 Julai di Padang Kemunting (MPK4), Kuantan;
28 Julai di Stadium Mini Pasir Mas, Kota Bahru; 4 Ogos di Stadium
Likas, Kota Kinabalu; 11 Ogos di Padang C&D Stadium Petra Jaya,
Kuching; 18 Ogos di Padang Merdeka, Port Dickson; 19 Ogos di Padang
Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam.