Foul!

Berikut merupakan senarai pemenang Anugerah Bola Sepak Kebangsaan 2013 yang berlangsung hari ini: Penjaga Gol Terbaik: Khairul Fahmi Che Mat (Kelantan) Pertahanan Terbaik: Baihakki Khaizan (LionsXII) Pemain Tengah Terbaik & Pemain Paling Bernilai: Badhri Radzi (Kelantan) Penyerang Terbaik: Norfarhan Muhammad (Kelantan) Pemain Harapan Terbaik: Junior Eldstal (Sarawak) Jurulatih terbaik: Dollah Salleh (Pahang) Pemain Import Terbaik: Marlon Alex James (ATM) Persatuan Bolasepak Negeri Terbaik: Persatuan Bolasepak Negeri Terengganu Kelab Bolasepak Terbaik: Sime Darby FC Kelab Penyokong Terbaik: Kelantan Pengadil Terbaik: Nagor Amir Nor Mohamad Penolong Pengadil Terbaik: Sabri Mat Daud Anugerah Fairplay: Polis Diraja Malaysia Anugerah Khas:     1) Paul Mony 2) Dell Akhbar Khan 3) Azzudin Ahmad 4) Ibrahim Saad HD kata: Tahniah kepada semua pemenang!

Despite the 0-1 loss to Qatar in the 2015 Asia Cup Qualifier, Malaysia’s ranking on the FIFA list rose two spots in the latest list released by the world governing body for football. Malaysia’s current ranking moved upwards from 160 last month to 158, the same position registered in January this year. In January, Malaysia was ranked 158, but dropped to 159 in February, 164 (March), 163 (April), 161 (May) 159 (June), July & Aug (162), 161 September. The latest position was however, lower than minnows in world football like Guyana (150), Liechtenstein (152), Bangladesh (156) and Belize (157). In South East Asia, Malaysia moved up one spot to fifth behind the Philippines (133), Myanmar (140), Thailand (142) and Singapore (154) while in Asia, Malaysia remained in 31st spot from 46 countries. Read more here . Pic above: Chelsea's Bertrand Traore (left) vies for the ball with with Malaysia's Asraruddin Putra Omar (second left) and S. Kunanlan (second right) in front of Chelse

This is with relation to the FA of Malaysia's (FAM) ruling that teams are allowed to sign up a maximum of four foreign players , one being from an Asean country, in the 2014 M-League season. During Astro Arena's Formasi recently, I was asked, among others (including the National Development Football Programme and Ong Kim Swee taking playing caretaker coach after K. Rajagobal's contract was not extended), about this ruling. Flanked by former international and newly signed Perlis coach Reduan Abdullah, I said:  1. Teams are allowed a maximum of four foreign players and NOT forced to sign up for imports 2. Rope in players within one's budget. Don't buy a Ferrari if all you can afford is a Perodua Kancil. 3. Teams tend to overspend resulting in wages owed - a problem that lingers in the M-League despite its professional status. 4. Local players need to buck up and fight for a spot upfront. If they are comfortable sitting on the sidelines, listening to their iP

Imagine if you owned a Ferrari. You would think twice before going to a wet market. You would think three times if you wanted to drive it to Petaling Street for some charcoal stir-fried Hokkien Mee since there are no proper parking spaces. You would not bother driving it along Jalan Ampang from 7am to 8.45am on a weekday as you would only be travelling at less than 30kmph. So it’s best you kept it at home where your neighbours admire it. Now let’s look at the Malaysian identity card called MyKad. It is technologically superior to any form of identification prior to 2001. It is able to store numerous details including driving licences, Touch ‘n Go and is even capable of doubling up as an ATM card. MyKad was considered a breakthrough. Malaysia was hailed for introducing the world’s first national smart scheme to store biometric data on an in-built microchip by science portal newscientist.com on September 21, 2001. An expert in computer security at Cambridge University Ross Anderson was

The FA of Malaysia (FAM) met over the weekend while Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin yesterday chaired the National Football Development Programme, with several fresh faces in its line-up. Both meetings could have been conducted tactfully. First let’s look at the decisions made by FAM. The national body decided to increase the foreign quota in the M-League to four players despite knowing teams have only 11 days left before the Dec 4 Fifa deadline. Do FAM believe Fifa’s Transfer Matching System would allow an extension beyond the date? The press were informed that Datuk K. Rajagobal’s contract as national coach would not be extended. A source told Mailsport Rajagobal’s future was discussed as it was the “hot topic at present”. Perhaps they forgot the other “hot topic” that has been lingering for years — demands to changes within FAM. At press time #PresidenFAMSilaLetakJawatan was trending at the second spot on Twitter in Malaysia. ..... Speaking about the NFDP, some observers have take

Here are some paragraphs from Vijhay Vick's article in The Malay Mail today: 1. The national body also prematurely decided on increasing the M-League foreign quota to four players, leaving Super League and Premier League teams in a mad rush to sign players 11 days before the Dec 4 Fifa deadline. 2. National coach K.Rajagobal refused to comment on the decision, opting to wait until FAM officially informs him. 3. When asked about (Harimau Muda A) Ong's (Kim Swee) contract extension, (FAM general secretary) Hamidin  (Amin) would only say that “it would be discussed soon’’. It would be interesting to see Ong as interim coach in addition to overseeing the National Under-23 squad when FAM have yet to even tie him down with a contract. 4. FAM will be hoping that Fifa’s Transfer Matching System (TMS) would allow an extension beyond to the Dec 4 transfer window deadline for foreigners. Increase quota of players with only 11 days before deadline? Did not inform Rajagobal that FAM

THE Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) have confirmed they will not renew Datuk K. Rajagobal’s contact as national coach, despite Malaysia having a slim chance of reaching the 2015 Asian Cup in Australia. Rajagobal’s contract ends on Dec 31, while Malaysia’s last Asian Cup qualifying match is against lowly Yemen. Read more on Sports247 . What are your thoughts? Will this mean anything? HD says: For what it is worth, thank you Rajagobal.

KENYATAAN AKHBAR RASMI PERSATUAN BOLA SEPAK SELANGOR BERHUBING KES SAFEE SALI KUALA LUMPUR, 21 Nov 2013: Persatuan Bola Sepak Selangor (FAS) hari ini mengucapkan selamat maju jaya kepada Safee Sali yang memutuskan untuk kekal bersama Johor Darul Takzim meski pun sudah menyatakan persetujuan awal kembali kepangkuan Gergasi Merah Kuning, dua minggu lalu. Biar pun kecewa dengan tindakan Safee membuat pusingan U itu, Timbalan Presiden FAS, Datuk Abdul Mokhtar Ahmad, berkata beliau memahami scenario bola sepak tempatan hari ini. “Dalam pertemuan saya dengan Safee, dia bersetuju kembali ke Selangor dengan gaji bulanan yang dipersetujui kedua-dua pihak. “Semasa Safee bertemu saya pertama kali, Safee telah menyatakan kekecewaan beliau disebabkan beliau harus bermain di dalam Liga Perdana jika kekal bersama Johor untuk musim baru. “Di atas faktor tersebut, Safee hendak kembali ke Selangor dan kami dengan hati terbuka menerima beliau.” “Jumlah yang dipersetujui ten

PRESS RELEASE BATTLE ROYALE FOR THE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD 100PLUS-ASTRO ARENA-FAM NATIONAL FOOTBALL AWARDS 2013 PETALING JAYA (21 Nov 2013) - Johor striker Norsharul Idlan Talaha has been voted the Most Valuable Player at the 100PLUS-Astro Arena-FAM National Football Awards for the last three years. His dreams of a fourth consecutive MVP crown, however, may not materialise as there are several strong contenders for the prestigious award. “It was not easy coming up with this shortlist. We certainly took time to observe these players throughout the season,” said Datuk Khaidir Buyong, the honorary secretary of the Malaysian Football Coaches Association (MFCA). “Initially, we wanted to select just five players in each category but in the end, we thought that six players would be fair. Now it is up to the respective teams to select the best in 2013. Certainly, it will not be easy pick,” Khaidir said. Norshahrul will be up against players like national teammat

There is a new Triumph showroom near The Malay Mail office in Section 13 and I admit I have been ogling at those beautiful curves through the window every day. I often fantasise about handling one of the models, gripping it hard with my arms and legs wrapped all over while enjoying every moment together. But the guilt lingers when I head home. If my Pat Poh ever finds out, she will be devastated. I’ve known Pat Poh for almost a decade. We’ve been through rain and shine together and she has never failed to disappoint me. The Triumph I’m talking about is not the brand that sells female undergarments. It is the British motorcycle manufacturer. The model I wish I could get my hands on is the Rocket III Roadster which boasts an engine capacity of 2294cc. Pat Poh means busybody lady in Cantonese. But when said fast, it mirrors the sound of my 16-year-old 800cc cruiser. Now why am I talking about my passion for motorcycles? Because all I can do now is just fantasise about owning a vehicle,

This article was written by current Sportswriters Association of Malaysia president Ahmad Khawari Isa during his time at Berita Harian. The article below was written by News Straits Times sports editor Vijesh Rai when he was covering football as a journalist. Both articles appeared on July 30, 1999. It says a lot. It also comes to no surprise to why some fans left the Shah Alam Stadium disgruntled after Malaysia lost 1-0 to Qatar in an Asian Cup qualifying match. HD says: When will we be serious? When will we ever start a major revamp?

It would have been easy to point out what could have been done better in SuperMokh The Musical. For starters, the younger generation – who only know the late Datuk Mokhtar Dahari as a former international – could have been educated about his younger days and how he picked up the art of dribbling. Many would want to know more about Setapak-born Mokhtar – just like the many who enjoyed learning about cartoonist Datuk Mohammad Nor Khalid through Lat, the Musical. I managed to watch SuperMokh at Istana Budaya on Friday night. Former international Reduan Abdullah and his family, who watched the show for the second time, were present and so was Mokhtar’s wife Tengku Zarina Tengku Ibrahim. It was the same night Malaysia lost 1-0 to Bahrain in an Asian Cup qualifying match in Manama. I was eager to see the life of my former SRK Jalan Kuantan senior played on stage. Read Celebrating Legends on Stage in Haresh Says today. Meanwhile, Queens Park Rangers owner Tony Fernandes (pic, right) sl

It was not the entrance national striker Safee Sali ( pic ) had in mind. Just as he replaced Azamuddin Akil in the 70th minute, Bahrain’s Ismaeel Abdul-Latif scored the solitary goal (71st minute) of the match in the Asian Cup qualifying match last Friday. “Suwey betul la (what bad luck),” was Safee’s immediate reaction. “I’m not happy at all. I entered the field and our opponents scored. I don’t want to see such a thing happening again.” Meanwhile, the late A. Subramaniam ( pic below ), who passed away on Saturday night, was a firm believer in developing young talents. To him, the base needs to be strengthened before one can achieve better results at the higher level. During his short stint as Federal Territory Amateur Athletics Association (FTAAA) president, he introduced plans to promote the sport at grassroot level. "He was always about development, development, development. He was eager to see more youngsters getting into athletics," recalled FTAAA secretar