'The Malaysian team looks like they come from Europe'

Legend Datuk James Wong called FIFA's punishment a "shameful slap in the face", but also a wake-up call for those running Malaysian football.

Malaysia is in trouble because of its naturalized players.

James Wong, who scored the historic goal that took Malaysia to the 1980 Moscow Olympics, expressed his disappointment: "This is a shameful step backward. It shows that our way of doing football is going in the wrong direction. Instead of building a foundation, we are patching things up to look stronger."

At 72, "King James" is still a symbol of a golden generation - a time when Malaysia was proud of its homegrown talent, not imported stars. He believes that Malaysian football has lost faith in itself, and is busy looking for shortcuts instead of persistently nurturing the next generation.

"I don't understand why we are in such a hurry," James said. "What we need to do is develop our own kids so that one day they can proudly wear the national colours. Winning is good, but I want to see a real Malaysian team, not one that looks like it came from Europe."

Referring to FAM, James did not hesitate to call for change: "It is time for the Federation to review itself. I believe FIFA never makes conclusions without solid evidence. This is an expensive lesson, but if we know how to recognize it, it can be a turning point."

As the President of the Sabah State Former Players Association, James now devotes his life to youth football. He and his former teammates directly coach secondary school students - 13 and 14 year olds - teaching them techniques, discipline and football spirit.

For "King James", today's defeat is only temporary, as long as Malaysians wake up. "Football is a journey without a stopping point. The important thing is to dare to learn, dare to correct and dare to believe in your people," he concluded.

Source: https://znews.vn/tuyen-malaysia-trong-nhu-den-tu-chau-au-post1592548.html