MSL: S'pore team to be immune from relegation

As football fans look forward to Singapore's participation in the Malaysian domestic football competitions, after 17 years, it has emerged that the LionsXII will be immune to relegation - at least until 2015 - as part of an agreement inked in July between the football associations of the two countries.

The clause was revealed, for the first time, yesterday by Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) vice-president Hamidin Haji Amin.

"If Singapore should finish in the bottom two, the next lowest team will be relegated instead. It is important that (Malaysian) clubs know this early on, that's our agreement with Singapore and we'll stick with it," said Mr Hamidin. 

Tony Mariadass, former sports editor of the Malay Mail, believes the decision will upset Malaysian clubs, adding: "There should be no exceptions to the rules of the league. Even if the (LionsXII) are here for development, if they finish in the bottom two, then they just don't have the calibre to play in the top league, and it won't be fair for the team above them to be relegated."

ATM, Malaysia's nouveau riche club representing the army, are aiming to gain promotion to the MSL in 2012. Its coach B Sathianathan said: "I'd rather know about this sooner than later ... and we will have to stand by that agreement."

Peter Butler, who used to coach S-League side SAFFC and has been appointed to helm 2011 MSL champions Kelantan, nevertheless supported the idea.

He said: "I've got no issue with the system, the footballing brains have already made their decision and it's not about winning or losing, it's for the sake of development. Having Singapore in the top league here and the Malaysian team in the S-League will make an impact on football in the region on a larger scale."

For LionsXII coach V Sundramoorthy, who had played for Singapore in the then-Second Division in 1993, the issue was irrelevant.

He told Today: "Looking at the team that we've got, and the way the boys have been in training, I don't think we'll be in a situation that requires us to even think about relegation."



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