KUALA LUMPUR: Trust Datuk Zainal Abidin Hassan to cast the net wider to unearth more talents for football.
Zainal said talent scouting would be one of the main projects under his mission to revive the glory days of Malaysian football after being named as the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) deputy chairman of the competitions committee.
He believes that talent scouting efforts should extend beyond the usual scope, as there is still untapped potential within the non-Malay community that has yet to be discovered and nurtured.
“Back in my time, many players came through the youth and academy system, which I believe was a healthy progression,” said Zainal, who will be working with committee chairman Datuk Yusoff Mahadi.
“Development is crucial, and we want to refine it further to ensure a smooth process in producing more players.
“We must ensure a structured development pathway. When things are well-organised, more people will be interested in playing football, making it easier for us to discover new talent.
“Limited access to fields might affect interest, especially among non-Malay communities. That is why we need to plan things properly to attract more people to the sport. With well-structured competitions, we can identify and develop players from there,” said Zainal.
Zainal wants local competitions to have a strong foundation, making football more accessible to everyone.
While the Malaysia Football League (MFL) now fully oversees major tournaments such as the Super League, Malaysia Cup, FA Cup, and Challenge Cup, FAM remain responsible for grassroots and youth-level competitions, including the Youth Cup and President’s Cup.
Zainal’s long-time friend Datuk Dollah Salleh has also been given an important role as the deputy chairman of the technical and development committee, working alongside chairman Datuk S. Sivasundram.
“Of course, Dollah and I can work together to help improve Malaysian football. But for me, it’s not just about working with him. It’s about working with everyone to take the sport forward.”
The first FAM executive committee meeting for the 2025-2029 term was held on Tuesday with several key appointments confirmed.
FAM president Datuk Mohd Joehari Ayub will lead three committees which are the emergency committee, finance and management committee and national team management committee.
Meanwhile, Datuk Noor Azman Rahman has been retained as FAM secretary-general.
