PETALING JAYA (10 Dec 2020) – A project squad formed by the FA of Malaysia (FAM) and the National Sports Council (NSC) will compete in the 2021 Premier League.
The Under-21 programme is part of efforts to create a career pathway for the National Football Development Program (NFDP) products to facilitate their transition to the senior platform.
Selected players will be based at the NSC, be given allowances, accommodation and food, medical support, exposure to domestic and international competitions as well as the opportunity to further their studies at selected institutes of higher learning.
Former international Yusri Che Lah has been appointed as the head coach of the FAM-NSC squad to be the eleventh team to play in the Premier League.
The official announcement of the squad was held at the FAM Futsal Arena here today witnessed by the Minister of Youth and Sports, YB Dato’ Sri Reezal Merican Naina Merican and FAM President, Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin.
“Player’s pathway is important in the national football development ecosystem. Potential players will definitely be identified in advance by the teams in the local league matches, but late developers will have a second shot of playing time through the project squad.
“The project squad is a continuation of the players’ development in the national football structure,” said Dato’ Seri Reezal.
Added Datuk Hamidin: “Besides releasing the cream of the crop into the existing system, this project squad will provide a platform for talented players who wish to balance their careers with academic pursuits, hence the value-added scholarship offer.”
Although it is a development squad, players who excel will form the core of the national squad to compete at the 2021 Vietnam SEA Games, the 2022 AFC Under-23 qualifying round, the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games, 2023 Cambodia SEA Games and the 2024 AFC Under-23 qualifiers as well as the various AFF competitions.
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