SMC 2016: It Shows We Mean Business
7 Disember, 2016
It’s that time of the year again. Christmas, for those who celebrate it, is just round the corner and so is the new year, but for those of us who take an interest or are involved in the country’s youth setup, now that this year’s Karnival Kebangsaan Liga PPBN is over, the biggest event on the National Football Development Programme (NFDP) of Malaysia’s itinerary for the year is up next (in a matter of days, in fact), and the nation’s youth footballing scene now turns its head to the long awaited, highly anticipated, hallmark competition of 2016 – the SuperMokh Cup.
First held in 2014, the SuperMokh Cup is a tribute to the late Mokhtar Dahari, a legend of Malaysian football and widely regarded as one of the finest players to have donned the Malaysian jersey. This 3rd edition of this prestigious competition, which will run from the 11th – 18th December, looks to be the most exciting one yet, with notable sides the likes of Portugal’s Sporting CP and Brazilian club Sao Paulo FC, and even European juggernauts Paris Saint-Germain (France) and Manchester City (England), all set to take part in the tournament.
Naturally, there is greater significance to such an important event on the NFDP’s calendar than merely serving as an opportunity for participating teams to vie for silverware. The fact that international clubs are coming to Malaysia to play opens the doors for our local teams to pit their footballing prowess and test their strength against teams from other countries, providing them valuable experience playing against sides from outside of Malaysia. Besides, international tournaments serve as a rough indicator of how well our footballing system/DNA matches up against that of other countries, and participating in one on home soil comes with the benefit of not having to set foot outside of the country, which can be rather costly.
Off the field, hosting an international youth tournament capable of attracting big names to join in is a big boost to the nation’s image in football, which has been suffering in recent times. It shows that even with the ongoing struggles of the senior side, there is a silver lining.
But most importantly perhaps, this competition is a measure of the NFDP’s success in its efforts to ensure the nation’s grassroots scene is on level footing with the world’s best countries in this area, something the NFDP itself has acknowledged. It’s a way with which we can let the footballing world know that we’re more than just about getting results, and that we can succeed not only in matters on the pitch, but off it as well. And it can send a statement to all our rivals that not only have we got the talent and calibre in our ranks, we’ve also got what it takes to back them up, give them the exposure they need, and ensure that our very best get the very best. The top footballing nations are able to do just that for their youth, and well, we don’t fall into that category (yet) but hey, if we’re going to be a footballing powerhouse in the future, then we had better start taking the right steps to become one, right? Things like these are certainly a good place to start from.
So, maybe professional, and not youth football is your thing. Maybe keeping up with the world’s best football clubs and players as they bang in goals and battle it out for silverware and individual accolades is your cup of tea, and not the nation’s up and coming footballers, who in a few years’ time, will spearhead the revolution in Malaysian football on the pitch, and take it to a new high. Well, there’s nothing wrong with that, and to each his own, after all, but just remember this.
The SuperMokh Cup is more than just a competition – it’s also an opportunity. It’s more important than many of us might care to realise, and no doubt, the NFDP will work their socks off to ensure this year’s SuperMokh Cup is a job well done and something to be proud of. In the years to come, if the NFDP can continue to run the tournament smoothly and get the best teams from around the world to participate, and there’s no reason to doubt that they can, then our rivals will surely be on their guard.
We mean business. We take our youth and their development seriously. And the SuperMokh Cup is a great way we can let the world know that. So don’t write it off.
Sumber - Tan Beng Jin.
