FAM Scouting For More Foreign Players With Malaysian Parentage

13 April, 2015



PETALING JAYA: The Football Association Malaysia’s (FAM) have located more foreign players with Malaysian “connection” on their radar.

Football agent Scott Ollerenshaw has revealed that players from Switzerland, England and Australia with Malaysian ties are being scouted to represent the country.

National coach Dollah Salleh has said that he is open to the idea of naturalising players with Malaysian ties to play for the national team.

Last week, Australian-born Matthew Davies joined the rank of several foreign-based players to play in the M-League after getting their Malaysian passport. He is currently playing in Pahang.

The 20-year-old former A-League’s Perth Glory defender who has a Sabahan mother has been drafted in the 29-player trainee list for the Singapore SEA Games.

Ollerenshaw said that it is still early to reveal the details.

“It’s a long-drawn process to get a player to apply for a Malaysian passport. A lot of paperwork is needed and several government agencies are involved and this is why we need the support of the FAM and the (Youth and) Sports Ministry,” said the former Australian international.

“This is a legal process and is in accordance with FIFA rules. We are not trying to get their citizenship like what Indonesia and Singapore had done before.

“We need to get players with Malaysian roots to represent the country. I don’t agree in giving foreign players in the M-League like Paulo Rangel (Brazil) and Dickson Nwakaeme (Nigeria) citizenships to play for Malaysia ... for me it’s cheating.”

Ollerenshaw, who played an influential role in bringing Brendan Gan from Australia and Junior Eldstal from England to Malaysia said that the most important factor in getting a foreign talent is the quality.

Kelantan’s Brendan received a call-up for the AFF Suzuki Cup last year but was sidelined through injury while Johor Darul Ta’zim’s Eldstal was a key figure in the national Under-23 side at the Incheon Asian Games last year.

“The main criterion is these foreigners must be better than the locals and they should be able to contribute to Malaysian football.

“Eldstal and Brendan proved to be a good addition to the M-League and the Malaysia team,” said the former Sabah striker.

Sumber - K. Rajan, Star Online www.thestar.com.my