Promising squad: PJ City have worked on players like Darren Lok (centre) until he was good enough for a national call-up. — Bernama
PETALING JAYA: Petaling Jaya City could be the next club to pull out of the Super League next season.
According to sources, players and coaches were told that the club would close down after the Malaysia Cup round of 16 game against Johor Darul Ta’zim on Oct 26.
“They told the players that the club would be closing down and would not compete next season. It’s news nobody wants to hear, but it is what it is,” said a source close to the club.
The team management said at first they were looking for investors to ease the financial burden of the owners but it seems like that is not happening.
PJ City chief executive officer S. Ganesh said he did not want to comment about the matter and said a press release would be issued soon.
“For now, I have nothing to comment. There are queries but we will issue a statement soon.”
Since taking over from MISC-MIFA in 2019 and renaming it PJ City, the club have finished eighth in 2019 and seventh in 2020 and 2021.
In 2021, the club decided to go all local and the move was lauded by many followers of the game.
Since introducing their motto “Yakini Lokal” (Trust in Locals), they have seen some of their players featuring for the national team, especially goalkeeper Kalamullah Al-Hafiz, striker Darren Lok, winger V. Ruventhiran and playmaker R. Kogileswaran.
This season, the Phoenix finished ninth in the Super League with 26 points and played in the last 16 of the Malaysia Cup.
Malaysian Football League (MFL) chief executive officer Stuart Ramalingam said there is no official information on the pullout but will wait for updates from them.
“In my last meeting with him (Ganesh), he said they would continue. If there are changes, we are waiting for them to confirm. I am waiting.
“Maybe they might have had a meeting with the higher management after the Malaysia Cup on some decision but we have yet to get any official letter from them.
“For now, I cannot speculate. If we get something official, then I can comment.”
If PJ City do pull out, the league next season would only have 15 teams as Sarawak United and Melaka are officially out after not being granted national licences to compete in the league.
“No problem. Fifteen or 16, every match week, one team will have a rest day. It won’t be a major issue. Just a formatting matter, not an operational thing.
“And there is no requirement that we must have an odd or even number in the league.”
Stuart also asserted that teams from M3 will not be replacing clubs that have pulled out from next season’s Super League challenge.
“Our league is licensed. We are not going to replace them with amateur clubs. They must have youth and reserve teams. We simply do not want to put a club and see the league being unstable.”
