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Malaysian football needs professional managers to survive, says observer
🇲🇾 Malaysia /Economy & Trade

Malaysian football needs professional managers to survive, says observer

From Utusan Malaysia · (14h ago) Malay Critical tone

Translated from Malay, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • A local football observer suggests that Malaysian football leagues can only be saved if clubs are managed by full-time professionals.
  • Dr. Zulakbal Abd Karim argues that current part-time management leads to issues like cronyism and a lack of merit-based hiring.
  • He also points out that many clubs struggle with sustainable income generation, leading to financial instability and debt.

The state of Malaysian football is at a critical juncture, and according to local observers like Associate Professor Dr. Zulakbal Abd Karim, the only viable path forward lies in professionalizing club management. He argues that the current system, where football clubs are often run as side projects by individuals with other commitments, is fundamentally flawed and hinders the league's potential for growth and stability.

It's no longer time for 'part-timers'. Those managing the clubs need to be 100 percent focused on football. CEOs and management must be full-time professionals.

— Dr. Zulakbal Abd KarimDr. Zulakbal stresses the need for full-time professionals in club management for Malaysian football to improve.

Dr. Zulakbal emphasizes that a shift towards full-time, dedicated professionals in leadership roles—such as CEOs and management teams—is imperative. This would ensure that football is treated as a primary career, fostering a culture of 100% focus and commitment. He draws a parallel with successful professional companies, stating that football clubs require the same level of discipline, structure, and integrity to thrive.

A significant concern raised is the persistent issue of cronyism and the hiring of staff based on connections rather than merit. Professionalizing management, Dr. Zulakbal believes, will help curb these practices and ensure that decisions are made with the best interests of the club and the sport at heart. This aligns with a broader call for good governance within Malaysian sports organizations.

Football clubs need to be managed like professional companies such as Petronas. It requires high discipline, structure, and integrity.

— Dr. Zulakbal Abd KarimHe compares the required management standards for football clubs to those of successful corporations.

Furthermore, the observer highlights a critical financial imbalance: many clubs excel at spending but falter when it comes to generating sustainable revenue. This mismanagement often leads to mounting debts and unpaid salaries, a recurring problem that has plagued Malaysian football for years. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has even flagged the critical financial state of the Malaysian league. From a Malaysian perspective, this discussion is vital; it's not just about wins and losses on the field, but about building a sustainable, professional, and ethically sound sporting ecosystem that can truly compete regionally and internationally. The current struggles are seen not as isolated incidents, but as symptoms of deeper structural issues that require bold, professional solutions.

The main problem for most clubs, except for a few specific teams, is that they are good at spending but don't know how to generate income. This eventually leads to financial imbalance.

— Dr. Zulakbal Abd KarimDr. Zulakbal identifies a core issue of financial mismanagement where spending outpaces revenue generation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Utusan Malaysia in Malay. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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