Kelantan are kings of Malaysian football after treble triumph
Final Piala Malaysia 2012: Kelantan vs ATM
By ERIC SAMUEL (The Star)
There is no doubt that Kelantan are the new powerhouse of Malaysian fooball.
Their success in competing the treble – FA Cup, Super League and Malaysia Cup titles – this season is a reflection of their highly dedicated management team led by Tan Sri Annuar Musa (suspended Kelantan FA president) and Azman Ibrahim (team manager).
Remember the standard of Kelantan football in the past? They were mere also-rans and won no major titles in the history of Malaysian football for 89 years.
What a tremendous revival we see today. How much of colour and excitement they bring to the game. On Saturday, more than 80,000 fans flocked to the Shah Alam Stadium for the Malaysia Cup final between the Red Warriors and Armed Forces. Guess what, more than 90% of the stadium was filled by the red-shirted Kelantan fans.
More than 100 buses were chartered from Kota Baru and other districts. They came by train, cars and even a group on bicycles.
Kelantan are the new giants of domestic football. They have been consistent going by their six Cup final appearances since 2009. They have under their belt two Malaysia Cups (2010, 2012), two Super League title (2011, 2012) and one FA Cup (2011).
In 2009, they made the FA Cup and Malaysia Cup finals but finished runners-up to Selangor and Negri Sembilan respectively.
A tribute should be given to the Red Warriors’ passionate fans, who have stood by the team through thick and thin.
Just imagine what ‘fan power’ can do to the game? Yes, Kelantan have remained unbeaten at home all season. They hold the enviable record of staying unbeaten in 33 matches in all competitions (FA Cup, Super League, Malaysia Cup and AFC Cup) at the Sultan Mohd IV Stadium in Kota Baru. Plans are now underway to get a bigger home stadium as the present one can accommodate fewer than 20,000 fans. Kafa have proposed to build a RM300mil stadium (40,000 capacity) in Bandar Baru Tunjong in Kota Baru.
Well, that’s the spirit. The Red Warriors want to move forward and scale greater heights than just being jaguh kampunglike Selangor, who are content with their success in domestic competitions only.
The Red Giants are in slumber land and have gone without a silverware for the second consecutive season. What a shame? The management team should be held responsible for the rot and the dwindling home fans.
Premier League champions Armed Forces are set to be a new force in the Super League next season.
The new management have done wonders, too. Forces were the whipping boys just like Kelantan in the past.
It is good to see them become competitive and hungry for success.
The FA of Malaysia (FAM) should review the quality of some of the teams in top flight because there are teams who are not pulling their weight and contributing positively to the development of the game.
This season, we had a team who were unable to win a single game (26 matches) in the Super League.
Only the best teams should play at the top. Be it eight or even 10. The competitions committee under the chairmanship of Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin should be given a pat on the back for reviewing the Malaysia Cup competition format.
Initially, it was open to all 24 teams (12 Super + 12 Premier) but it has now reverted to 16 teams.
Let us not give in to pressure from those who do nothing to help the game grow and progress. We don’t want to congest the domestic competition with too many matches with more than 70% of the matches played in near empty stadiums.
Let’s hope Kelantan will make waves in the AFC Cup next season. They made the quarter-finals in their debut this year before going down to Iraqi Premier League champions Arbil SC (6-2 on aggregate).
It is a simple formula, FAM. Go for quality and not quantity.
A point to ponder. The S-League will push ahead with its plan to fine the bottom two clubs from next season. They deem the short-term action as a measure to boost the ailing competition and its falling attendances.
Well, what’s our plan? The ball is at your feet, FAM.
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October 22, 2012 - 2:07 pm
ulasan yg sangat profesional oleh akhbar b.inggeris
October 23, 2012 - 2:15 pm
yup. very professional comment from eric.
October 23, 2012 - 10:22 pm
Salam Sek kelate tadi Kawe tgk Conburi kena belasah kat arbil di thailand 4-1.. sebelum ni 4-0 kat iraq.. jadi Agg.. 8-1..
Set kelate kena 6-2.. so nampaknya kelate lebih kebal sikit.. dan bersemangat waja di bumi kelate.. harap AFC 2013 jupe Arbil Lg.. biar mereka respect Kelate or Malaysia.. juga..
October 23, 2012 - 10:56 pm
Setujuuu!!! Bila rangking kelate naik, rajagopal kena turun takhta. Boyan Hodak naik.
October 22, 2012 - 2:51 pm
Dlm the STAR penyokong Kelantan dikatakan hampir 90% memenuhi stadium. Dlm akhbar/berita lain ada yg ckp 2/3 ada yg ckp 60k. Yg pentingnya, penyokong Kelantan adalh yg terbaik di Malaysia. Cuma yg sedihnya, masih ada lg pengkhianat yg membuat onar di stadium dgn membaling botol dan bom asap. Tunggu masa sajela surat “cinta” FAM datang..
October 22, 2012 - 2:53 pm
Nasib baik TMK datang.. kalau tidak, Piala Msia ambil kat Pejabat FAM saja le..tidak pun pakai pos !!!
October 22, 2012 - 3:01 pm
penyokong ATM pun ada asap jugak kan masa game baru nak start aku tengok sebab TV focus kat situ
October 22, 2012 - 3:29 pm
We are the champions (3 Cup of Malaysia Footballs Championship)…Lets hope our team will be a new legend..next year there are very competitive challenge from other teams,but we must go more on our wave & momentum..nothing impossible in football!!!! GKG
p/s: oh my english..(long time no writting in english) hohoho
October 22, 2012 - 4:39 pm
being jaguh kampung like selangor - i like this….
October 22, 2012 - 5:02 pm
Selangor jgn marah org kelate pulak. Paper yg cakap lagu tu. Kita sokong Selangor kuat semula supaya AFF tahun depan sama2 buleh pi jauh sikit pada tahun ni. Jange bertemu sama sediri pulok udah la. Kalu Irfan pindah, buleh offer kat Butler - dia ada professional experience.
October 22, 2012 - 7:07 pm
Walaupn aku sedih dgn prestasi dan masalah dlmn yg menimpa pasukan Teganu musim ni tapi aku tetap yakin Teganu akn bangkit gagah thn dpn.
Dan kpd pasukn klate dan Slgr semoga sama2 maju lebih jauh dlm AFC Cup thn dpn. Harumkn nama Malaysia!
October 22, 2012 - 8:16 pm
xde la kampung sgt…AFC pnh gak smpai quarter mcm klntn jgk thn ni…treble pn pnh kaut jgk mcm klntn thn ni…hm kalo cmtu klntn pn jgh kampung jgk la bru la fair & square kn W.Rizal??????kn..kn..kn
October 22, 2012 - 8:35 pm
ore banting sudoh marah….bukan W.Rizal kate..The Star kate..kekek
October 22, 2012 - 9:19 pm
reporter kat star tu die hard fan slgor kot…tu mgkin kcwa sgt la tu dgn performnce team slgor sjak 2 thn ni lgsg xpegang 1 piala pn…tu yg sdap2 mlt jer cop jgh kampung…hm…sma la mcm aku pn kccwa gak
October 23, 2012 - 12:16 pm
stupid journalist,
throughout history, Selangor remain the most consistent team in Malaysia football. The journalist is obviously not a follower of Malaysia football.
October 23, 2012 - 6:03 pm
sentul pnya eric samuel….nth2 time tgh taip artikel ni mamat ni mbuk trlbih mkn budu,xpn mnum budu kot….byk2 team yg pnh kaut treble semusim kt LIGA MALAYSIA ada lg truk drpd slgor pn ada…xsmpai 10thn plak tu buat rkod treble dah trn main lga perdana… kurg2 slgor manitain lg stil top 3 kat liga super cma sjak 2 thn ni blm rezeki nk boleh piala jer….the latest diorg bleh piala thn 2010(liga super/smbgsih)….ni apa kes mamat srt khbar ni nk under estimate slgor lbh2 plak??????slumber badak jer nk cop2 slgor jaguh kg….nk mnulis bia berakal nfsu bia d kawal
October 24, 2012 - 11:21 am
Selangor tu maintain sbb kipas FAM. Smua org tau dlm FAM tu adanya kem selangor yg buat palat.
Negeri2 lain berjaya sbb usaha sendiri, bukan kaki kipas mcm selangor. Sbb tu dia kata jaguh kampung. Betul la tu.. Hehehehe
October 24, 2012 - 12:33 pm
kepala buto ko kipas FAM. 32 kali menang sbb ada ‘special treatment’? ko pegi berdiri dpn cermin dan ko ulang ayat ni ‘saya, mankidai memang spesis beruk merah dgn kepala buto’.
October 23, 2012 - 12:27 pm
Kesian Jerangkung. Masih di dalam mimpi silam… Org skrg tgh bercakap di zaman samsung S3 tapi dia masih bercakap di zaman Nokia 3210. Tp xpe, hamba pun sokong kalau Selangor lebih kuat tahun 2013. Lg sengit permainan lagi best, hehe
October 24, 2012 - 11:10 am
mangkun ayun,
org citer pasal konsistensi, bukan pasal sape yg merajai bola malaysia pada masa ni. xde sape termasuk aku yg menafikan yg kelantan raja bola malaysia skrg. tp kalo ada mangkuk ayun yg buat statement selangor taik base on apa yg berlaku 2-3 tahun ni mmg kena balun la dgn aku. termasuk la kau.
January 10, 2013 - 2:37 pm
hihi..sabar la jerangkung..biase la 2..sume org mrh ble diperlekehkan..bkn fan selanguuuur jer..fan kelate pun mrh..look like eric just wanna provoke selangur team..
ni la lumrah,perbezaan antara anak tiri n anak kandung..ble fans selanguuuur melenting kne provoke,ok jer..thats not a problem…ble fans trw melenting makin bertambah la org yg sibuk nk provoke..mcm2 gelaran yg kne,beruk merah la apa la..profesional ker cmni??smpai makanan pun kne hina..be a pro la bro..skrg team ko plak kne provoke..bleh tgk la sape beruk merah sbnrnye kan…adios
January 10, 2013 - 2:48 pm
bleh tgk la fans selagor jd beruk merah gak kan
October 23, 2012 - 11:56 pm
Ala…tengok lah nanti kalau Kelantan tengah down, confirm 50 orang je datang stadium macam dulu2… sokongan kami zaman berzaman konon…puih…
October 24, 2012 - 11:17 am
Ayat sakit hati dan dengki..
October 24, 2012 - 12:40 pm
itu kebenaran la. suma team kat Malaysia ni termasuk Harimau Malaya suffer masalah ni. dulu masa Kedah juara treble tahun 2007 - 08 pun penuh tiap2 game kat Stadium Darulaman. sama dgn Selangor masa kuasai bola Malaysia tiap2 game penuh kat Stadium Shah Alam. tp skrg x sbb Kelantan raja bola Malaysia so mcm biasa tiba2 suma org Kelantan jd diehard fans. andaikata Melaka atau Kuala Lumpur yg kuasai bola Malaysia ni mesti keadaan ni berubah. yg paling x masuk akal masa Piala Asia 2007 yg buat kat 4 negara termasuk Malaysia penyokong Iran lg ramai dr penyokong Malaysia. maklumlah zaman gelap bola Malaysia tp skrg baru nak dtg. so kesimpulan mmg penyokong Malaysia majoriti glory rider. ko kena byk follow bola bukan takat masa team tgh naik tp masa zaman jatuh. byk belajar lg ye man kidai.
October 24, 2012 - 1:28 pm
peminat bola kat malaysia sama shj.kalau naik sokong kalau jatuh sokongan kurang. Tapi sejak ada astro arena aku namapk perkembangan sokongan terhadap negeri masing2 semakin meningkat walaupun kalah apatah lagi kalau menang memang sokongan menjadi luarbiasa. kalau dulu mmg sape yang top sokongan memang banyak tapi sekarang aku tgk sejak adatv sukan ni sokongan fan negeri semakin steady.keep it up astro semoga sukan bolasepak tahun2013 lagi meriah.
October 26, 2012 - 12:20 pm
akhirnya diehard pyokong slagor mgakui kehebatan kelantan…kawe ucap terimo kasih…jge mcm Sathia….ngko jatuh la, lebih fit la…tpi xnk mgaku kelebihan org lane…br nama pyokong bola Malaysia sbenar
October 26, 2012 - 8:41 pm
penyokong kelate fanatik la, time kelate kat liga fam pun penyokong masih ramai pergi stadium.. time naik camni plak, mana2 stadium pun penyokong fanatik pergi tengok team kelate main, even ke sabah pun ada..
team negeri lain ade?
January 10, 2013 - 2:41 pm
dia xtau yg 2..liga fam xmsuk tv kot..sapa kelate pun dok lg xtau..dia ni ulas hk dia tgk dlm tv 3suku jah
October 27, 2012 - 9:22 pm
marilah kita bersama-sama
October 27, 2012 - 9:46 pm
penyokong dan peminat TRW selalu penuh,,tak kira di stadium mana pun,,,seluruh negara termasuk nun jauh dibumi bawah bayu sabah & bumi kenyalang sarawak,,,penyokong puak2 lain boleh penuh macam nih jugak ka,,,mungkin kat negeri sendiri penuh kut tapi negeri lain tarak sorang pun kan!!!! Terutama sabah,,sarawak,,,