I struggle to keep track of the developments in the Malaysian football league.
But what’s the point? And how do these developments benefit the league, and elevate the majority of clubs in general?
Last season, football clubs were allowed to sign up to 12 import players, with the 6 + 1 rule in place – six import players allowed on the pitch and another on the bench.
For the upcoming season, the Malaysian Football League (MFL) recently allowed 15 import signings, with a 7 + 2 rule imposed.
Frankly, I preferred it when our own lads actually had a chance. You know, when the league was a platform – not a glorified transfer market for anyone with a passport and two working legs.
To all those aspiring local footballers who just had their dreams steamrolled by this new directive, you have my deepest, most heartfelt condolences.
For rich Malaysian clubs like Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) and Selangor FC – who have qualified for regional tournaments and worry that they could be clobbered by teams from Japan, South Korea, Australia or the Middle East – this new import rule is a godsend.
Those clubs are keen to turn on their spending taps and gain the freedom to buy more top foreign players as they wish.
I hear the arguments, I really do. I understand what those clubs are saying about the old rules and the need to compete.
But can’t we also see that increasing the number of foreign imports per club could shift the financial chemistry of the entire league – a trend, regrettably, already embraced by clubs with mad ambitions?
Even though this is not a mandatory rule that all clubs are compelled to ‘consume’, it’s insidious. It’s like vaping, isn’t it? Seems harmless enough at first – a bit of puff here, a bit of puff there. Then, before you know it, it’s a full-blown, death-dealing problem that no one saw coming until it’s far too late.
Our domestic league is barely anchored as it is. Fans are already drifting away, bored by the sheer lack of competition. And what do we do? We introduce a new import rule that would further demoralise and cripple the poorer clubs – widening the gap between the haves and the have-nots into a chasm.
Let me be absolutely clear – I am no fan of the new import rules. It’s utterly daft to introduce policies that cripple the majority of teams for the sake of a privileged few who fancy their chances in regional competitions.
However, to those who scream that we should ban foreign imports altogether – well, that’s just naïve. We need to keep things interesting.
The new foreign import rule is pointless. It’s like one of those government economic policies that benefits foreign businesses and labour more than our own household income.
But then again, rules are typically dreamed up by those who benefit most from widening the competitive gap with their cash-strapped rivals.
It’s all rather predictable, really.
The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer and do not necessarily represent that of Twentytwo13.
