Right decision to change MFL structure: Stanley Bernard

KUALA LUMPUR – With the Malaysian Football League (MFL) introducing a new structure for the 2023 season onwards, Kuala Lumpur City FC (KLFC) chief executive officer Stanley Bernard said the decision would benefit all in the footballing fraternity. 

Starting next year, the Super League will have 18 teams instead of the current 12, and the Premier League discontinued temporarily. 

The revamp will see each club in the Super League play 34 matches a season from 2023 onwards, compared to the current schedule of 22 matches. 

“With more matches, it gives the players more playing minutes. This, in turn, will create more competitiveness among the players and develop a more professional mindset. 

“From a club and technical perspective, it is an absolutely right decision to move forward and have more matches in the league,” Stanley told reporters after the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) today. 

When asked if the increase in matches would financially burden the team, he said it is in the hands of the clubs to increase their respective values. 

“When you create a better product, for example, a football club, you create value for it, and you should be earning more. 

“As a club, we need to secure more funding from partnering sponsors,” he added. 

By affiliating with Super League teams, Stanley said brands can gain more exposure as clubs will be playing more matches from next year. 

For the league, he hopes it financially grows through television grants, broadcasting, title sponsors, and commercial rights with teams playing overseas. 

“We now have a league where teams play on the Asian level. 

“The national team just qualified for the Asian Cup, Johor Darul Ta’zim is in the Asian Champions League, KLFC and Kedah FC are in the AFC Cup.”

For a smooth transition into next year’s competition, MFL president Datuk Ab Ghani Hassan said they will be organising a series of workshops involving all the affected teams. – The Vibes, July 20, 2022