FAS plan unfortunately still have not detailed to anybody how they intend to do the impossible in world football and that is to turn in a profit big enough and long enough to support an industry even in bad times.
Just how do they intend to fund that project? (where is the money since you guys claimed you are so poor)
For me this is too important to set aside.
Of course some will tell me I am too money-minded but the collapse of PSV remind us all, whether we like it or not, money is an important factor in world football today.
All projects PSV may have intend to implement or is implementing will be gone in days to come as the City Council will have to show they are not funding the club indiscreetly thus the Dutch club will have a tough time ahead.
Just image that happening in Singapore but this time, it is on a larger scale as FAS reach is over all Singapore football and yet it has to stop funding Singapore football.
It has happen and it was in the 90s as I frequently mention for until now I have not seem a good explanation about the disappearance of so many Singapore projects around that time when FAS was bleeding millions in the Malaysian project.
Indeed Singapore did not have the money or even efforts to implement a project like NFA until it was 1999 and this was a time when FAS boast it had millions in sponsorship in it coffers.
Where did all the money go!
Like PSV, FAS had chosen to spend the money on more glorious projects and quite frankly this is not unexpected for this is not just happening to Dutch or Singapore football for BPL is a living example as despite having so much cash, it has been noted by many that they are not preparing for a time when they may have to live in a more prudent time as their debts keep building up.
This is ultimately human nature for looked around the world at the number of grand projects country after country keep competing to build and we can see how easy it is to fall into the trap.
Before continuing, I would like to note the difference in events in Singapore since those times and by that I mean the state of the economy and stage of Singapore development then for Singapore had at that point enjoyed a 14 year breath-breaking growth in our economy so we were very prosperous.
Indeed Singapore was then growing at near double-digit pace for the late 80s and early 90s and the Jack Neo movie - Money Not Enough - was based on how our spending had gone out of control for even our then-PM Goh later admitted, after the Asian Financial Crisis, the Republic cannot afford to spend like that anymore.
So to expect that sponsorship will reach a new high is a pipe dream as now if our economy grow over 5%, we already considered it high.
In addition, another fact to add in is the makeup of the sponsorship then as it is much like Malaysia League, before 2003, and Indonesia League and that much of the money has come from the 'vice' (Chinese saying considered glutton, drink, flirt and gamble as them so I let you guys guess which of the two 'vice' provided the bulk of that team sponsorship) trade.
So the reality is sport sponsorship is not as forthcoming as many keep telling us for it never was.
Now continuing on, I would like to note another difference and that is unlike PSV, FAS cannot expect Singapore government or even their 'friend' FAM to come to it rescue.
While even our PM Lee like to jump on the bandwagon to tell us how he believe the sport of football can unite Singapore, I also know if the sport get into financial difficulties like PSV, it can expect nobody to help it regardless of how many of the politicians - opposition or government - keep jumping on the already crowded bandwagon.
This is the situation in Singapore and that is why I keep talking about money for Singapore football have nobody to rely on if it ever ran into problems.
And it does not help when I think of the fact how big that Malaysia project will cost
With eight-time champions SAFFC as an example, that team can easily cost over S$2.5 million as we have to note the cost of traveling is higher for that project and that is nearly 27% of FAS budget of $9 million.
Also I am not counting in the fact FAM will received over RM2million on their part from FAS for their youth team (How generous of a 'poor FAS')
If you ask me, all that money come from hallowing Singapore football out as
Liga Singapura has already shown us with that man in charge, he has cut off the supply to women football in under 3 years and if one tell me that it will not spread to other aspect of local football in time to come, I can tell everybody it is wishful thinking as eventually, it will spread.
Now going on to other areas other than money,frankly I believe youth development will die out once this project start as even now youth development is not appreciated by clubs as they are in a loser position.
If a player is good or have potential, FAS will come calling and they have no say in this matter so why will a club put their heart into youth development for no matter what, they cannot use their player anyway.
Worse is when FAS decide that the players they pick up are not those they wish to develop so they are 'return' to clubs midway through the season as though they are 'garbage collectors'.
Do FAS believe they will not have to pay a price for Balestier vice-chairman S. Thavaneson has pointed out early this season that clubs are not happy to see their develop players go for nothing and if one looked at many of the clubs team sheet it is clear many clubs will now rather hired players above 23 to be on the safe side.
That is why Raddy pleas to clubs to play more U23 players in recent years are ignored and who can blamed the clubs for are there anybody who will honestly claim they do anything differently.
Since the situation is like that, why will the Malaysian project not help.
Firstly, the focus of FAS will never be on youth development as they will be running a club and those who claim they can balanced it, I will point to Arsenal or even a better example Crewe Alexandra.
As it Wikipedia writeup showcase it admirable focus on youth development -
In recent decades the club has been associated with manager Dario Gradi,
whose 24-year tenure between 1983 and 2007 made him at that time the
longest-serving manager in English football; he returned to the role in
2009. Gradi is known for focusing on youth development
and promoting attractive, technical football. Notable players brought
through the Crewe youth system include former internationals Neil Lennon, Danny Murphy, Seth Johnson and Dean Ashton - people may like to know the price it pay with them in the last division of English football and facing a situation they may drop out of it.
There will be no patience when one is running a club and that is the truth.
And subletting youth development to clubs by taking over them like TPUFC deal is no solution as there is no perfect plan and the biggest flaw of this plan is the takeover club also have to show results.
So they cannot wait for players to develop especially in crucial area like the centre of defence and midfield as well as a forward line.
We can see these areas in the Jaguars side occupied by the foreigners and in the long term, other than a really-committed Young Lions team, and I am talking about a real U23 team not the club they are promoting now, where do one find those players.
For let not forget even now Khairul Nizam, who is talked about as a future national forward, is still very raw and is only potential thus not the finished article.
He need games and lot of them yet if he is used for that Malaysian team then our dear FAS is going to see their dream of glory bust as he is not likely to score enough or be threatening enough to bring them that target.
So what will be their choice?
If history is a guide, I can tell it is glory as the current FAS president has only 18 months left and what happen after his tenure, will he really cared as until he has promised much but he has not moved on any of the projects like NTC or even the 20k stadium etc.
Instead one see FAS always backtracking for now FAS is already telling us they can only afford to have one U23 team but I will not accept it especially as that project is already costing us so much money so there is no excuse they cannot fund a second team for whatever reason. (I will never accept no money excuse as long as that man is in charge as he authorized over RM2million to FAM so he has money)
That is why I believed youth development will take a slide downwards now as this project will squeeze time and efforts from FAS (Let not just talk about money) and will they have anything left to spare for other aspect of Singapore football.
If women football and the NFA example (After all why did they need to depart the Malaysia Cup before finally waking up and realizing we need a project like NFA, what have FAS been doing those years) is a guide, then the answer is no as they have not shown they can managed anything (based on how they are running the league at this point) let alone a team.
Clearly this FAS project will ultimately caused as much problems down the road like the 90s as time have changed and to develop a squad of only 25 is not enough anymore but this is what FAS doing now.
How can one expect me to support this team when that man is in charge and so many questions are unanswered.
PM Lee (and even that man in charge of FAS now) can walk away if this team run into problems for Singapore football but I cannot so I will never support this Malaysia project.
