Why football is dying?

Photo: Håkan Dahlström/CC BY 2.0Photo: Håkan Dahlström/CC BY 2.0

All the policies slowly killed football lah!

I refer to the article “Football: Tanjong Pagar and Gombak United will soon exist only on paper as appeals fail” ( Straits Times, Jul 25).

It states that “Tanjong Pagar United, one of the founding members of the S-League, and Gombak United, will soon exist only on paper.

The football clubs’ appeals to retain their licences to run profitable jackpot operations have been rejected by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and both will now begin winding down their fruit machine and football activities.

Both clubs will continue to exist only on a technicality – they cannot be shut down because Registry of Societies regulations mean the Singapore Premier League, which is the latest iteration of the S-League, has the final say on closure.”

My friends said “Football is dying lah. The ball is round one, but all the policies over the years like poison lah – slowly kill it.

You take away the jackpots is as good as ask them to go and die lah – no money how to operate a club – play football?

Don’t give NS exemption never mind – but give all kinds of rubbish reasons and excuses. Don’t give is bad enough, but why add insult to injury and do character assassination lah – say will AWOL.

You mean everyone who ever get exemption or travel outside Singapore don’t have the risk of going AWOL meh!

Personal interest different from national interest – this one is really talking cock lah – you mean they are mutually exclusively meh!

Say the father still signed the EPL contract despite being rejected for his exemption application – aiyah use your brain lah – must sign first and then try to appeal mah!

What kind of message are we sending to kids and their parents – forget about football lah – go swimming or study hard to be a medical scholar lah!

This one in school they never teach you – its called double standards!

What’s the point of being one of the richest countries in the world? World cup must pay to watch – see the Malaysians so much poorer than us can watch for free!

Aiyah when you put a politician as the football association president – sure disaster lah! Say will make world cup by 2010 – make my toe laugh lah!

Stadium lights can switch off at 9 pm in the middle of a match – then all kinds of “but no straight answers as to why”?

Remember the new changes to cap the maximum total number of local players over 30 at 36 – or 48 assuming the clubs do not sign foreigners – age discrimination has arrived in football also lah!

Aiyah, Tote Board got accumulated surpluses of about $4 billion – give some more money to football clubs for the development of football in Singapore lah

The new FAS council gave the 4 inactive S-League clubs that operate jackpot rooms an ultimatum – either return to playing in the S-League, or be de-affiliated and give up your cash machines – clubs say you think and talk so easy meh – the main reason why there are clubs without teams is funding lah!

FAS top 3 executives pay – 1 each salary range $400k to $500k, $300k to $400k and $200k to $300k – pay such big peanuts still get monkeys!

Donated 500k to AFF – why leh? Should donate to local football lah!

Why put PAP MPs/ministers as advisors to sports associations?

FIFA criticised FAS for its politically-appointed leaders. FAS then no choice changed its constitution and held elections for its council members. Not complying would mean cannot take part in international competitions hahahaha

Uniquely Singapore Football lah!

Leong Sze Hian

 

 

 

About the Author

Leong
Leong Sze Hian has served as the president of 4 professional bodies, honorary consul of 2 countries, an alumnus of Harvard University, authored 4 books, quoted over 1500 times in the media , has been a radio talkshow host, a newspaper daily columnist, Wharton Fellow, SEACeM Fellow, columnist for theonlinecitizen and Malaysiakini, executive producer of Ilo Ilo (40 international awards), Hotel Mumbai (associate producer), invited to speak more than 200 times in about 40 countries, CIFA advisory board member, founding advisor to the Financial Planning Associations of 2 countries. He has 3 Masters, 2 Bachelors degrees and 13 professional  qualifications.