‘1MCC are a playing football club’

LOOKING FORWARD: Chan (left) and FAM vice-president Dato Sri Subahan Kamal posing with a Cardiff City home jersey

KUALA LUMPUR: The organisers of the 1Malaysia Cardiff City (1MCC) League made it clear yesterday it is not their intention to challenge the Junior Football League (JFL).

Instead, they would rather concentrate on their league for the betterment of Malaysian football.

“Our football needs youth development. If others want to do the same, it can only do well for Malaysia,” said 1MCC public relations and media consultant Christopher Raj.

“On our part, we are a playing football club. This strengthens our participation in the development of football. 1MCC are adopting the same system and technical aspects of Cardiff City FC.

“The chairman of Cardiff City Datuk Chan Tien Ghee is also the chairman of 1MCC.”

Christopher also added that former English league players Kevin Cooper and Matt Holland would play active roles in Malaysia. The duo had meetings with FA of Malaysia (FAM)technical director Lim Kim Chon on the best ways to develop the game here.

The 1MCC league was sanctioned by FAM on Jan 16, two months after they had applied for it.

So far, 32 teams have confirmed their participation in the U-12 category which will be held at the Rubber Research Institute (RRI) from March-July.

“This is purely sports and nothing political,” he added, referring to JFL communication director Manvir J’s comments to The Malay Mail yesterday.

Manvir had asked that the two leagues work together instead of competing. He said the same teams and players were involved in both leagues which would also clash where the dates are concerned.

JFL had also claimed the use of two of the six fields at RRI were their right as they had booked them first. The other four fields are not in good playing conditions.

Christopher said: “We will play at the RRI fields as allotted by the custodians of the field. We wrote to them in November and attached an endorsement letter from FAM.”