Foul!

MALAYSIA is keen on mending ties with North Korea though the Asian Cup qualifier between both nations after diplomatic relations between Putrajaya and Pyongyang soured following Kim Jong-nam's murder at klia2 on Feb 13. It is learnt a "very senior government official" would like for the match to carry on at the Kim Il-sung Stadium on Oct 5, after it was postponed twice from its original date of March 28 due to geo-political tensions. Malaysia and North Korea withdrew their representatives from their respective embassies following the saga. The Malaysian Embassy in Pyongyang is being operated by the locals. None of the Malaysian staff have returned to the isolated nation. It is also understood officials from North Korea, had during the Fifa Congress in Bahrain in May, invited the FA of Malaysia (FAM) to visit the country and its stadium ahead of the match.  It remains unclear if FAM will take up the offer. But as far as the Asian Football Confederati...

As published in Malay Mail today By Haresh Deol KUALA LUMPUR  — Asian Football Confederation (AFC) general-secretary Datuk Windsor Paul John said Malaysia will play their Asian Cup qualifying match in Pyongyang, as the government has not imposed a travel ban to North Korea. Responding to claims the FA of Malaysia (FAM) may appeal against the decision to play the June 8 match in the hermit kingdom, Windsor said: “They are free to do so. “I’m not the one making the decision. The committee will decide and FAM must justify their appeal, if they intend to do so that is.” Windsor said it was AFC, and not the Malaysian government, who would assess the security situation in Pyongyang. “We will assess the situation there two weeks before the tournament. The AFC Women’s Asian Cup was held in Pyongyang … we had players and officials from all over the world there. Everything went well.” According to AFC regulations, Windsor said a match could only be played in a neutral venu...

As published in Malay Mail today By Haresh Deol and Wan Noriza Meor Idris mmnews@mmail.com.my KUALA LUMPUR  — The FA of Malaysia (FAM) will “exhaust all options” after it was decided the national team will play North Korea in the 2019 Asian Cup qualifiers in Pyongyang next month. The decision, made by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Monday, sent jitters down the spines of several parties as this will be the nation’s first official visit to the hermit kingdom following a diplomatic row between both countries. China, South Korea and the United States were also at the edge of their seats following threats of nuclear missile tests by the rogue state. FAM general secretary Datuk Hamidin Amin, who was in Bahrain for the annual Fifa Congress, said he would speak to FAM president Tunku Ismail Ibrahim on their next move ahead of the match. “We are concerned. The first thing I’ll do when I get back is to meet Tunku Ismail and get his views. We will exhaust all optio...

As published in Malay Mail today Haresh Says By Haresh Deol DATUK SERI Paul Mony Samuel was a top notch international football administrator. He was a class act, one whose involvement in four World Cups — USA 1994, France 1998, Korea-Japan 2002 and Germany 2006 — was a testament of Fifa’s faith in him. When news broke that Paul, 71, had died on Saturday, many scrambled to find out more about the Kedahan, a former schoolteacher who later rubbed shoulders with royalty, world leaders and football stars. Sadly, Paul was remembered only by those who remember him. The FA of Malaysia’s (FAM) media team was quick to inform the press of his passing. But there was no mention on its website about the man who was FAM general-secretary for 15 years (1985-2000). The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) paid tribute to him and declared a minute of silen ce will be observed during this week’s AFC Champions league matches. It was an obvious tribute for its former general-secretary (2007-2...

As published in Mailsport today       By Haresh Deol   haresh@mmail.com.my PETALING JAYA — The death of Datuk Seri Paul Mony Samuel (pic) yesterday shocked the football fraternity as condolences poured in from all over the world, paying tribute to one of the nation's finest sports administrators.   Paul died at the KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital at   8.45pm   after suffering from Parkinson's disease for more than a decade. The former FA of Malaysia (FAM), Asean Football Federation (AFF) and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) general-secretary was 71.   One man who misses him dearly is his former “student”, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) general-secretary Datuk Windsor Paul John.   "If I could turn back time, I would have advised Paul Mony to have a balance between football and life," said Windsor.   "But that is Paul Mony ... a man who lived and breathed football. He dedicated his soul t...

As published in Mailsport today By Haresh Deol haresh@mmail.com.my PETALING JAYA — Former Asian Football Confederation (AFC) generalsecretary Datuk Alex Soosay is back with the regional body as a consultant — barely a year after he was suspended and later quit following the controversial “tamper or hide” video expose by Malay Mail 11 months ago. It is understood Alex was handed a two-year contract and attended his first meeting as a consultant at AFC House in Bukit Jalil last Thursday.  AFC, in confirming Alex’s appointment, had in a statement said: “Asian football is benefiting tremendously from Datuk Alex Soosay’s unrivalled expertise and experience of the world game in his role as a consultant to the AFC. “He has the ability to contribute significantly on specific projects in which he has detailed knowledge such as the extension of the new building and the AFC Asian Cup. “Datuk Alex has the full support of the AFC president, general-secretary and management in this rol...

As published in Malay Mail today By Haresh Deol haresh@mmail.com.my KUALA LUMPUR — It was a revelation that shocked the football world.   Malay Mail had on April 25 exposed a damning video that saw then Asian Football Confederation (AFC) financial director Bryan Kuan Wee Hoong claiming former AFC general-secretary Datuk Alex Soosay telling him "protect me" before asking "can you tamper or hide documents which relate to me?"   An internal probe was initiated by AFC, only for the regional body to close investigations five months later citing "inability to obtain any additional evidence". Soosay was suspended in May and quit a month later.     Former AFC general-secretary Datuk Peter Velappan expressed regret over the inaction by AFC, adding "nobody has the will to make changes".   "After spending 50 years in football, it pains me to see the bribery scandal in Fifa. Africa is gone ... so are parts of Europe and now, that disease ha...