Teams allowed to sign two import players

New Info for Football Lovers In Malaysia

Teams playing in the M-League will be allowed to use the services of foreign players next season but limited to two players per team.

Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) Deputy President Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah said the foreign players would however, be classified accordingly, to maintain the quality of the teams.

Players signed from Asean and countries affiliated to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) must have played in their respective Division One league while those signed from Europe, Latin America and Africa must have played in the Division Two.

"Players currently playing in the Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand leagues will not be allowed to represent teams here with immediate effect.

They will have to undergo a two-year 'cooling period' before they can play," he told reporters here Tuesday.

Tengku Abdullah said signing foreign players was not a compulsory requirement for teams playing in the league but rather based on the financial capability of the respective teams.

Foreign players were first introduced when the Semi-Pro League kicked off in 1989, but in August 2008, FAM decided to bar import players for the 2009 season and the ban had remained in force until the 2010/2011 season.

Meanwhile, FAM vice president and competitions committee chairman Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin said Pahang and Perlis who finished at the bottom of the Super League table were relegated to the Premier League next season while Premier League champion Selangor PKNS and second placed Sarawak were promoted to the Super League.

He added that with an agreement sealed with the Football Association of Singapore (FAS), the The Young Lions team from the Island republic would play in the Super League which makes up 14 teams, while Harimau Muda A would play in the S-League.

"The place of Harimau Muda A in the Super League will be replaced by the Young Lions team from Singapore and Harimau Muda A will play in their league instead," he said.- Bernama

Story Arrangement By: Harry George

Sources: Bernama

Picture: Google Image