Just fill Harimau Malaya with naturalised players then: jaded Santokh

KUALA LUMPUR – “Give all the foreign players citizenship so they can all play for Malaysia. We don’t need our own to play anymore.”

The sarcastic jibe was shared by a jaded Datuk Santokh Singh on the Football Association of Malaysia’s (FAM) naturalisation programme, which saw another player, Sri Pahang FC’s Lee Tuck become a Malaysian citizen on August 31.

The national football legend snidely told The Vibes that FAM should instead take away current local players’ citizenships and have the entire Harimau Malaya filled with naturalised players.

Having been vocal about the topic for a long period, Santokh said the naturalisation of players is “stupid” as the country has many talented local players who are capable of performing better than the foreigners, but do not get the opportunity to shine.

He was not the only one dissatisfied as former FAM Youth department head E. R. Subramaniam said the naturalisation process does not benefit the national football team.

“These new players need to guide the younger generation. But how can they do so if they do not come from a credible position in their previous countries or notable clubs?

“What is the message you are trying to send? That they are better than us just because they are foreign players?

“If that was the case, we would not have qualified for the 1972 and 1980 Olympics,” said Subra.

He said the naturalisation strategy has been tested out by other countries and already proven ineffective.

“Singapore, Philippines, and Qatar did it before us and failed. If we carry on like this, we will be the ones who lose.

“These players don’t have patriotism for the country. Football is not just about playing the game, but playing from the heart.

“We have produced greats such as Santokh. We were not minnows then because we were a threat to Japan and other countries. Why have we gone down the drain?”

Previously, the late Serbegeth Singh said the naturalisation programme is doomed to fail, as young talent would be sidelined if FAM persisted with naturalised players.

For the record, Malaysia already has three naturalised players, namely Mohamadou Sumareh, Liridon Krasniqi and Guilherme De Paula. – The Vibes, September 5, 2022