TUSTY – ‘IT HAS HURT ME BADLY’

NO FOREIGNERS!

A decision by Malaysian Football authorities, will see two of this country’s footballers having to ply their trade elsewhere.

The latest development is that from next football season, there will be a ban on foreign players participating in the league, leaving Vincentians Marlon James and Cornelius Huggins out in the cold.{{more}}

According to reports, Football Association of Malaysia Deputy President Khairy Jamaluddin announced the new ruling after the association’s council meeting in Kuala Lumpur last Saturday, revealing that it had received unanimous support from the FAM’s 16 affiliates.

According to Khairy, the decree is indefinite and it will be enforced starting from the new season in January 2009.

The heartbreaking news has hit the Vincentian duo hard, who both play for Kedah.

James has played two seasons for Kedah, but previously had a one year stint with Sabah and two years with MK Land, while Huggins has been with Kedah since 2004.

James, in an interview with SEARCHLIGHT last Monday morning, 12 hours ahead in Malaysian time, said that he was alarmed at the decision, which has derailed his immediate plans.

“It has hurt me badly, since I had an offer to play with the Montreal Impact”, the Vincy Heat captain revealed.

The Montreal Impact, a Canadian club in the United Soccer League(USL) became interested in James after his performance against Canada in the World Cup Qualifiers in June, which St. Vincent and the Grenadines lost 7-1, on aggregate.

In addition, the San Jose Earthquakes of the United States Major League Soccer, has shown favourably of recruiting the tall striker.

James, 31, indicated that the decision by the FAM was based on cutting cost, as the foreign players are housed, given a vehicle and are the best paid for their duties.

Kedah coach Azraai Khor Abdullah said the FAM decision has its “pros and cons” but on the positive side, it would help to develop Malaysian football.

According to him, it also showed that FAM is concerned with problems faced by locals who found it hard to compete with the foreign players.

James and Huggins have played pivotal roles in helping Kedah do the treble last year, winning the Super League, the FA Cup and the Malaysian Cup.

It was the same Khor, who earlier this year, did not allow James to be part of his club’s rotation system, as he found the league’s top goal scorer too important to be rested, while Huggins is the club’s Vice Captain.

Kedah, so far has retained the Super League with James winning the Golden Boots Award, for his top goal scoring effort of 23.

He netted 10 goals , was also the tops in the competition in helping Kedah doubling with the FA Cup.

Last Saturday, James was again on the score sheet, netting a hat trick as Kedah blasted their way into the quarter final of the Malaysian Cup with a 4-1 defeat of Johor. Again, James is on course for the top goal scorer in the prestigious Malaysian Cup.

James added another five goals in the Asian Football Cup, to carry his tally for the season in all competitions to 48.

The two Vincentians have been nominated for the award of the Best Imported Player. Last year, James took the title of Best Foreign Striker.

In addition to the ban on foreign players, all 28 clubs in the two leagues will be required to field an under-20 player in their starting line-up next season.

It is the second time in a decade that foreign players have been banned from the Malaysian league. The first ban, introduced in 1999 as a result of the Asian financial crisis, was revoked three years after.