FAVOURABLE DRAW FOR DEFENDING FA CUP CHAMPION SELANGOR

PETALING JAYA, Dec 15 (Bernama) -- Defending FA Cup champion, Selangor's path to the semi-final looks rosy, after drawing easier opponents when the draw for the competition was held here today.

Selangor who were given a first round bye, will await the winner of the match between SDM Kepala Batas and PKNS in the second round while their third round opponents are expected to be Pahang or Felda United while their quarter-final opponent will be either Pos Malaysia or Majlis Perbandaran Muar. Their challenge only gets tougher at the semi-final stage where defending Malaysia Cup champion Negeri Sembilan, Johor, KL Plus or Harimau Muda await.

Barring any upsets, Selangor have every possibility of facing Kelantan in the final, yet again, just like the final of the 2008-2009 season.
Selangor coach K. Devan said though the draw looks favourable, the opponents cannot be considered push overs.
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SPORTS-FOOTBALL (FA CUP) 2 (LAST) PETALING JAYA
"Being the FA Cup, we can expect a number of lesser known teams to go far and create a number of upsets if the stronger teams take them lightly," said Devan.

Devan who guided Selangor to the Charity Shield, FA Cup and Super League titles in his very first season, said defending the FA Cup and Super League titles was Selangor's top priority next season.
The FA Cup will see 30 teams competing in the home and away matches that kick off on Feb 2 and the final is expected to be played on April 10.

He added that the Sultan Ahmad Shah Charity Shield match that would feature Selangor and Negeri Sembilan at the Paroi Stadium in Seremban on Jan 9, would be an interesting and exciting affair as it would also double up as the opening Super League match.

"Our hope is to win the Charity Shield and contribute three points towards the Super League tally, but even if we collect a point, it will be fair," he said.

Former Selangor Team Manager Puzzled Over FAS' Decision To Replace Him

SHAH ALAM, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- Former Selangor team manager Zakaria Ab Rahim was surprised and disappointed with the announcement made by the Football Association of Selangor (FAS) with regard to the appointment of team manager for next season.

Zakaria who was appointed team manager in 2008 said he has not received anything official from the FAS with regard to his position and only learnt about his position from the media and after receiving a telephone call from deputy president Datuk Mokhtar Ahmad today.

"I need an explanation with regard to my position. I had wanted to meet the president Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, but he was busy today due to a state Exco meeting," Zakaria told reporters here on Wednesday.

He said he was willing to accept whatever decision made by FAS but added that he should have been briefed of his status or designation since his contract as manager only expires in May 2010.

Zakaria who became the first full-time manager in the country was given a two-year contract and led Selangor to a runner-up position in the FA Cup and Malaysia Cup in 2008 and achieved a superb result last year by lifting three title - Charity Shield, FA Cup and Super League.

"I am really puzzled because FAS makes surprise decisions just like Akademi Fantasia," he said.

"Some of the players who called me were also puzzled with the decision but urged me to be patient. I knew the risks involved when taking up the job but what I do not understand is that despite achieving the targets set, this has happened," he said.

He added the players and family members had provided support for him.

Mokhtar had yesterday announced that coach K. Devan would assume the role of coach and team manager next season while Zakaria's role would be to promote and find sponsorship for the Selangor team.

My wish was to guide Selangor into the final of the 2010 AFC Cup but with the latest development, all that would remain an unfulfilled dream, he said.

Selangor 2010 Squads

Football Association of Selangor (FAS) has announced the list of players and officials Selangor Super League squad for season 2010. 

A total of six new players:

1. Liew Kit Kong (KM Naza)
2. Farderin Kadir (KM Naza)
3. Bunyamin Umar (UPB-MyTeam)
4. Safiq Rahim (KL Plus)
5. Azrine Efendy Saduddin (Johor) 
6. Iqbal Suhaimi (Proton FC).

Then, seven 2009 season  players are waived 

1. K. Nanthakumar
2. S. Sritharan
3. Sanjos Sundawat
4. Nasril Nourdin
5. Fazli Baharudin
6. Fadzirul Zakari
7. Fauzan Dzulkifli.

• Manager :K. Devan
• Assistant Coach / Coordinator: Mohd. Rosedy Mohd. Nadzir
• Assistant Coach: P. Maniam
• Goalkeeper Coach: Azmin Azram Abdul Aziz
• Fitness coach: M. Dharmendra
• Fisioterapist: Zainuddin Zakaria
• Masseur/Kitman: Othman Saad
• Kitman: Rahim Mohamad

Players:

1. Fairul Azwan Shahrullai (1) gk
2. Razman Roslan (3) df
3. Asraruddin Putra Omar (4) df
4. Khairul Anuar Baharum (5) df
5. Nasriq Baharom (6) df
6. Farderin Kadir (7) fw                      *new
7. Safiq Rahim (8) md                          *new
8. Rudie Ramli (9) fw
9. Safee Sali (10) fw
10. Zaiza Zainal Abidin (11) df
11. Bunyamin Umar (12) df                    *new
12. Hardi Jaafar (14) df
13. P. Gunalan (15) df
14. Azrine Efendy Saduddin (16) fw      *new
15. Amri Yahyah (17) md
16. Liew Kit Kong (18) fw                       *new
17. D. Surendran (19) df
18. Amirulhadi Zainal (20) md
19. Hamsani Ahmad (21) gk
20. Iqbal Suhaimi (22) gk                        *new
21. R. Surendren (23) md
22. Fitri Shazwan Raduwan (24) md
23. Fazilidin Khalid (25) df

AFC 2010- Selangor in Group F

Result for the draw for the AFC’s second-tier club competition – The AFC Cup, was held at the AFC House in Bukit Jalil today. Selangor, the only representative from Malaysia, was drawn into Group F with Maldives’ Victory Football Club and Becamex Binh Duong from Vietnam. Another place will be taken by the winner of play-off No. 1 match. Treble champion Selangor, is the only team from Malaysia involved in the tournament as Perlis has withdrawn from participating. Eventhough Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has submitted Kelantan’s name as a replacement, AFC has rejected FAM’s application. In total, there are eight group with five for West Asia teams and another three for East Asia teams.

Group A
ACL Play-off 2 (West)
Shabab Al Ordon (JOR)
Ahli Sana’a (YEM)
Cup Winner (OMA)

Group B
Kuwait SC (KUW)
ACL Play-off 1 (West)
Al Najaf (IRQ)
Al Hilal (YEM)

Group C
Al Ahed (LIB)
Kazma (KUW)
Al Jaish (SYR)
Arbil (IRQ)

Group D
Cup Winner (IND)
Al Nejmeh (LIB)
Qadsia (KUW)
Al Ittihad (SYR)

Group E
Al Wehdat (JOR)
Riffa (BHR)
Al Nahda (OMA)
Play-off Winner (West)

Group F
Victory (MDV)
Binh Duong (VIE)
Selangor (MAS)
ACL Play-off 1 (East)

Group G
South China (HKG)
V.B. (MDV)
Persiwa (IDN)
ACL Play-off 2 (East)

Group H
South China (HKG)
V.B. (MDV)
Persiwa (IDN)
ACL Play-off 2 (East)

Selangor in AFC Cup 2010

The field is set for yet another intriguing year in AFC’s second-tier club competition – The AFC Cup.

Defending champions Kuwait Sports Club and former winners Shabab Al Ordun (Jordan) and Al Jaish (Syria) lead the pack while five out of seven teams competing in the AFC Champions League play-offs, will play in AFC Cup should they fail to qualify.

The participation of Iraqi champions Arbil and runners-up Al Najaf will be subjected to FIFA’s suspension on Iraq Football Association.

Kuwait will be represented by league champions Al Qadsia and runners-up Kadhma, apart from Kuwait SC while Binh Duong, who lost in the semi-finals to Syrian outfit Al Karama this year, will represent Vietnam.

This year’s surprise semi-finalists Hong Kong’s South China will be hoping to repeat their feat next year along with debutants Tai Po.

Of the strong 32-team line-up, 26 come from domestic league or cup competitions while the winner of the play-off between Al Rayyan (Qatar) and Nasaf (Uzbekistan) will book their berth. Five losers from the ACL play-off will complete the roster.

The draw will be held on December 7, 2009.

The following is a list of clubs who have so far qualified for the 2010 AFC Cup:

Bahrain
Riffa (KO champions)

Hong Kong
South China (league runners-up)
Tai Po (KO champions)

Indonesia
Persiwa Wamena (league runners-up)

Iraq (pending on FIFA’s suspension)
Arbil (league champions)
Al Najaf (league runners-up)

Jordan
Al Wehdat (league champions)
Shabab Al Ordun (KO champions)

Kuwait
Kuwait SC (AFC Cup champions)
Al Qadsia (league champions)
Kadhma (league runners-up)

Lebanon
Al Najmah (league champions)
Al Ahed (KO champions)

Malaysia
Selangor (league champions)

Maldives
V.B. (league champions)
Victory (KO champions)

Oman
Al Nahda (league champions)

Singapore
Geylang United (KO champions)

Syria
Al Ittihad (league runners-up)
Al Jaish (league third place)

Thailand
Thai Port (KO champions)

Vietnam
Binh Duong (league runners-up)

Yemen
Al Hilal (league champions)
Ahli Sana’a (KO champions)

Santokh Sing in Coma

Malaysian football legend Santokh Singh is in a coma at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

The 57-year-old who played at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany, has been warded at the intensive care unit over the past four days.

His condition has been reported as stable.

On Monday, Santokh collapsed and lost consciousness while at home in Setapak.

His wife, Taljit Kaur, believes that the former international could have been struck by a viral infection as doctors had yet to determine the source of his ailment.

She said Santokh did not have any health problem when he collapsed at their home about 11am.

"A day earlier, my husband was in great health and even managed to conduct a coaching programme," she told reporters here Friday.

Meanwhile, Football Association of Selangor (FAS) general secretary Datuk Hamidin Amin who visited Santokh Friday, said his contributions to Malaysian soccer during the 1970s were invaluable.

He said FAS would help in any way it could to facilitate Santokh's speedy recovery, and urged fans to pray for their idol.

Selangor Players 2009

Selangor Football History

Before the Football Association of Selangor was officially established, there are only associations that manage the internal state of the league, known as the SAFL (Selangor Football Association League), which was established in 1905. First cup sponsored by the British Resident of Selangor at that time that Watson RG. Fact is reported, the association is led by the Resident-British Resident at the time.

In 1926, internal political crisis and caused some interesting self-association officers and set up a separate association called the Selangor Football Association (SFA).

Disputes between SAFL and the SFA continued almost ten years before the two parties back to negotiation table and in the interest of good football state. Finally, the two associations merged officially on February 22, 1936, under the name Football Association of Selangor (FAS) or the Football Association of Selangor.

But the outbreak of World War II FAS hinder efforts to develop football state. Business started aggressively concerned immediately after the war ended, the president's first official FAS simply and is not Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj.

Efforts to elevate soccer state with FAS continue to plan the construction of a stadium for football special teams state. Selangor who had made the Padang Selangor Club (now Dataran Merdeka) as the courts clearly requires a stadium in line with the vision of the association itself.

FAS meet Datuk Bandar Kuala Lumpur several times to obtain approval of construction of the stadium but still did not get the absolute solution. Dream to see played in Selangor stadium itself looks increasingly ambiguous from day to day.

However, the appointment of Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj (currently holds the presidency of both FAS and FAM) as a future Prime Minister of Malaya achieved independence pioneered a new business back the construction of this stadium.

Tunku ordered the construction of Stadium Merdeka to celebrate independence while the Selangor state team tennis official. Merdeka Stadium also becomes the official national courts in organized sport internationally.

The name becomes synonymous with the Singapore football is an era of 60-Datuk Harun Idris. He became president of the Football Association of Singapore for 21 years from 1961 to 1982. During his leadership, won 15 Cup Selangor Malaysia in addition to many positive changes to the association.

FAS was originally headquartered in the building at the old MCA Jalan Ampang Wisma FAS prior to construction in 1973 at the Merdeka Stadium on their own efforts Datuk Harun (also Selangor Menteri Besar at that time) and team manager, Tan Sri Hamzah Abu Samah. In the mid-1990s, moved further to Wisma FAS FAS in Kelana Jaya to the present.

Since its inception in 1936, Singapore has won 32 Cup Malaysia, winner of Division 1/Premier 1 of 4 times, winner of the FA Cup 4 times and became the only team that successfully move to Malaysia Cup final Asian Club once made the most successful team in local arena football.

Among those responsible for the success of teams such as Red Yellow is president-president: Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, Datuk Harun Idris, Datuk Aini Taib, Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib Hj, Tengku Ahmad Shah; team managers: Tan Sri Hamzah Abu Samah, Mohd Noor Thursday, Mazlan Harun, Dr. Nordin Selat, Datuk Mokhtar Ahmad; coach-trainer: M Chandran, Khaidir Buyong, Ken worden and many more figures that are not mentioned here.

Selangor state also has many soccer star who brought success to the state and the country as King Bola Minhat Ghani, the legendary late Mokhtar Dahari, Santokh Singh, Zainal Abidin Hassan, Wong Choon Wah, Khan Hung Meng, Azman Adnan and many more.

Selangor Players Top Nomination Awards

TREBLE winners Selangor head the shortlist for the 100PLUS-FAM National Football Awards 2009 following the first meeting of the panel of judges.

The panel comprise representatives from the Malaysian Coaches Association, the media and the FA of Malaysia (FAM).

With Selangor riding high this year after winning the Charity Shield, FA Cup and the Super League title, the consistent performances of their players have not gone unnoticed.

They are now chasing the Malaysia Cup and currently top Group D with three wins from three matches.

Also known as the Red Giants, Selangor are represented in almost every category of the 100PLUS-FAM National Football awards barring the Most Promising Player.

The 100PLUS-FAM National Football awards 2009 will be held on Nov 4. A total of 10 awards will be presented.

Since the award for Best Foreign Player has been scrapped, the judges have decided to introduce an award for the Best Club.

FAM will decide the winners of the Best Club, Best Football Association and Best Fan Club while the remaining seven awards will be decided by the panel of judges.

The nominees -- Best goalkeeper: Farizal Marlias (Perlis), Hamsani Ahmad (Selangor), Shahrizan Ismail (Kelantan);

Best defender: Aidil Zafuan Abdul Razak (Negri), Khairol Anuar Baharom (Selangor), Norhafiz Zamani Misbah (KL Plus), V. Thirumurugan (Kedah), Azizi Mat Rose (Kuala Muda Naza), Nazrul Erwin (Felda), Sabre Abu (Kedah), Mohd Muslim Ahmad (Young Tigers), K. Soley (Perlis), Rosdi Talib (T-Team);

Best midfielder: Azuan Roya (Johor FC), Idris Karim (Negri), Mohd Amri Yahyah (Selangor), Ahmad Fauzi Shaari (Kedah), K. Gurusamy (Young Tigers), Mohd Bunyamin Omar (MyTeam), Safiq Rahim (KL Plus FC), Azi Shahril Azmi (Perlis), Zairil Fitri Ishak (Kelantan), Ashaari Samsudin (Terengganu);

Best striker: Khyril Muhymeen Zamri (Kedah), Eddy Helmi Manan (Johor FC), Mohd Safee Sali (Selangor), Zaquan Adha Abdul Razak (Negri), Mohd Nizaruddin Yusof (Perlis), Farderin Kadir (Kuala Muda Naza), Indra Putra Mahayuddin (Kelantan), Zamri Hassan (Proton FC), Shakir Ali (Young Tigers), Haris Safwan (T-Team);

Best coach: K. Devan (Selangor), Irfan Bakti (Perlis), Ramlan Rashid (Johor FC), Che Ku Marzuki (T-Team);

Most promising player: Syazwan Zainol (Perlis), Irfan Ghani (Johor), Mohd Muslim Ahmad (Young Tigers), Mohd Fandi Othman (Young Tigers), Ahmad Aminuddin Shaharuddin (Young Tigers).