Malaysia, Singapore super league?

Football: Malaysia, Singapore super league?

A day after the announcement of Singapore's return to the Malaysia Cup next year, Today newspaper has learnt that the sport's authorities on both sides of the Causeway are working towards a far more ambitious project: Forming a super league by merging their respective domestic leagues.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source familiar with the negotiations told Today: "The FAS and FAM are convinced that, with a total population of almost 40 million and the traditional rivalry between our teams and fans, the interest levels can be tapped to drive football even higher."

On Tuesday, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) inked a four-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) that, among other things, will see each country field a team in its counterpart's domestic league and cup competitions.

The source added that both sides are "exploring the possibility" of launching the super league before the MOU expires in 2015.

Issues such as the number of teams from each country, the possibility of relegation and finances will have to be addressed.

Tampines Rovers, one of the more successful clubs in the S-League, will join the super league if it comes into fruition, said its club chairman Teo Hock Seng.

Mr Teo wondered if a regional league was possible: "An ASEAN League has been suggested for the later part of this decade, and a multilateral agreement that will include countries like Laos and Cambodia, instead of a bilateral one, will serve football a lot more."

Gombak United chairman John Yap said a super league could even challenge the popularity of the English Premier League, which draws many fans in the region away from their domestic leagues.

Said Mr Yap: "If managed well and with proper governance, the combined league has a fairly good chance of becoming the best in Asia. Football fans in Singapore and Malaysia are one of the craziest in the world, and their support of such a league will lure sponsors, which is one of our major problems now."

Courts chief executive Terry O'Connor, whose company sponsors the Courts Young Lions in the S-League, hailed the possibility of a super league.

"This is a great idea that will galvanise fans to support football in both countries. The potential to attract more commercial interest in football is tremendous," he said.

The S-League, which currently features 12 teams, has created nearly 1,000 jobs and boasts an average annual turnover of around S$200 million. The spin-off from television rights for a super league will add to teams' coffers, Mr Yap noted.

Apart from stadiums with bigger capacity, some logistical adjustments have to be made, said Geylang chairman Patrick Ang.

Mr Ang pointed out that some S-League clubs will have to consolidate their resources to compete in a super league.

"Malaysian clubs are accustomed to travelling cross-country for their matches ... Big clubs like SAFFC and Home United (in the S-League) may have the means but those like mine will have to consider merger with other teams," Mr Ang said.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~