KUALA LUMPUR: Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman indicated today he is not keen on plans to include naturalised players for the national football team.
He said local players should be the ones entrusted to uplift the No 1 sport in Malaysia.
Syed Saddiq feels that grassroots development should be given more attention to make the national team stronger in the long run.
"Regarding plans to field naturalised players in the national team, I believe more discussions should be held on the issue. There is no shortcut to success in my book,” said Syed Saddiq, after a MoU signing ceremony between BA of Malaysia and Ehime BA from Japan in Kuala Lumpur.
"Grassroots development is important because we want our local talent to raise the standards of Malaysian football.
"And if we can't develop our own talent, it only means that my ministry and the FA of Malaysia have failed to do their work," added Syed Saddiq.
FAM president Datuk Hamidin Amin had said earlier of plans to include naturalised players to strengthen the national team.
Gambia’s Mohamadou Sumareh could become the first foreigner to play for Malaysia if Hamidin's plans materialise.
The 23-year-old African received Malaysian citizenship in April, and has a good playing record in the M-League since making his debut with Police in 2013.
Before Hamidin's proposal, FAM have given the green light to players with at least one Malaysian parent to play for Harimau Malaya, and it opened doors for Matthew Davies (Pahang), Natxo Insa (Johor Darul Ta'zim), Brendan Gan (Perak) and Khair Muhammad Jefri Jones (Melaka United).
Syed Saddiq also said he is ready to work with FAM on his ministry's National Football Development Plan (NFDP).
"I met with Datuk Hamidin in Indonesia the other day and we had a discussion on the direction of football in the country. I also asked FAM to put forward their short and long term plans.
"I want to make sure there is a good understanding between us in improving grassroots development,” said Syed Saddiq.
