MyTeam

It bemuses me to watch thousands of supporters cheering on the Myteam players during their "final match" againts the Malaysian Under-20 national team as if they were up against some World Cup team or something. I guess it's the effect of the popular reality show that did it. I'm not against the whole concept of MyTeam, after all it is a successful reality show isn't it? But somehow I feel that Shebby and Khairy are being too ambitious and feeling syok sendiri of their MyTeam squad when they suggested that MyTeam to be included in the Malaysian Super League. Honestly, i don't even think they deserved to be in the KL Dunhill League. Ok, maybe I'm being too critical here. How about the FAM Cup first? And let's just see how they fare in the league.

I'm getting sick of reading sports news comments congratulating and praising the amateur Myteam squad and all. Sports journalists pun ada kaki ampu jugak eh. Anyway, finally i've found someone who shares the same sentiment as me (or the other way round) with regards to the recently concluded Malaysian football reality show, Myteam. NST reader, Sritharan Vellasamy, in his letter published today, have a few strong points in which i agree much of it;

MyTeam is not a miracle pill
I JUST do not understand the fuss over these amateurs in MyTeam who have been hailed by so-called football experts as the saviour of national football. The comments on television against former national footballer Razip Ismail regarding the MyTeam-national selection game was another lamentable episode of this debacle.

I do not see any wrong on his part for saying that such games should not take place so as not to undermine the role of the Football Association of Malaysia as the foremost authority in the running of football in the country. Criticisms and lopsided opinions of the national junior squad continue to flow freely following a largely forgettable match.

One must remember My-Team lost to the junior national team made up mainly of raw 18-year-olds. But the criticism just kept piling up. Malaysian under-20 coach Rajagopal had a valid point in his comments after the slim 2-1 win. He argued that the team did not prepare for the friendly as they were the last-minute replacements for the senior team. Does this mean that FAM has to bow to demands of friendlies with any amateur side? Don’t they have a programme to abide by and to prepare for more important ties?

Soon, I, too, with my honest and sincere aim to improve Malaysian football might demand a friendly be arranged between Sentul FC and the national team. All this should not be taken as defending the FAM for its shortcomings. The organisation had always lacked the dynamism shown by its Japanese, South Korean or even Chinese counterparts — teams which we routinely beat in the 1980s. We were once the kings of Asia.

However, offering MyTeam as an instant miracle pill is a laughable premise. I’m all for improving the standard of the game, but it should be a sincere, coherent and real effort.

Aku geleng kepala bila Pak Lah pun puji MyTeam. Nak ambik hati menantu kot.