Bola Sepak 2019: A Cultural Reboot?

Malaysian football 2019. Several items to cover and summarise and generate a sense of what we have gone through this year. The following notes ranges from community football onwards to national football. Just to note, I will be focusing on the positive and progressive aspects of the year. The criticism and toxicity, you can find elsewhere.

Fields And Facilities

In the Klang Valley, several fields have opened up for business. Allowing passionate people to organise community, development, social, and recreational football programs and leagues to accommodate an existing audience. Additionally, working to grow the ecosystem of the beautiful game ranging from guiding kids on how to kick the ball to revitalising the enjoyment aspect of the sport and to contribute to the national football structure.

Recreational Football

What is recreational football? Recreational football is a channel in the football ecosystem, where people get together to play the game for fun! Through the fun, it builds confidences, gets people to be a part of a common and diverse community. And more. Super Bobai Cup has inspired us to create. And Bola Bosan Bosan has created their own. While there are others on the sideline looking and configuring to build their own recreational football programs. Adding opportunities.

Amateur-Community-Social Football

Technically, everyone has their own definition of “Amateur-Community-Social“ (ACS) football. There hasn’t really been a unifying definition ACS across Klang Valley and beyond. However, for this case, will point out towards the M3 and M4 leagues, ACS Football Teams playing in the 2019 Malaysia FA Cup, and the Selangor Champions League 2019.

No doubt, there was plenty of excitement across clusters of people across the nation towards the involvement of themselves, their friends and families of participating in the 2019 Malaysian FA Cup. Finally breaking into a renowned and sanctioned football competition. Validating their passion for the general public and to their love ones to take note of and be proud of.

Selangor Champions League 2019 - this prestigious competition continues to surprise on and off the field since its inception in 2016. The competition of the teams wanting to challenge for the trophy has intensified which increases the quality of the matches. As well as the production aspect off the field have developed well cultivating talents that’s able to hone their respective skills of event organising, media work, commentary, statistics and more. At the same time networking, unifying and synergising communities across Selangor to build a better setting for football.

Malaysian Premier Futsal League MPFL

Futsal returned to the peripheries of Malaysian football after a considerable absence from the general eyes. And it returned with a bang! The reception MPFL the men’s and women’s, have received has been amazing. Viewership on and off the digital screen has boosted morale for those within the sport. Even the governing football body FAM has synthesise a post season cup competition after the 2020 regular season to build on momentum, consistency and yearning sustainability.

Malaysian Domestic Professional League

The Malaysian Super League, the Malaysian FA cup, and the Malaysian Cup for 2019 at a glance across. They has been striking. Not fully a grand captivating nor dramatic season but in several period of time the league has provided fascinating entertainment. A possible precursor for an attractive 2020 season across all three competitions.

At this point of time, Johor Darul Takzim, Kedah, and Selangor gathers their respective strengths. Preparing to execute and to aim top honours.

Malaysia National Development and Youth Set Up

Categorically, the youth side has brought plenty of excitement to look forward to for the incoming future. A respective age group challenging and winning. On those respective competitive platforms, they gave an insight to the nation that their work on the field speaks volumes. And conventional wisdom about their current attitude, is that they want to build on them. Become great for themselves and for the nation.

There has been serious conversation on the media about wanting to improve the women’s game. With revitalising the Tun Sharifah Rodziah Cup, turning PTSR into a league competition than its current group and knock-out competition.

Malaysia National Football Team

Harimau Malaya ended 2018 with a bittersweet symphony. And look how they responded back in 2019. Only 4 losses, 9 victories, across the calendar year. Importantly, since at the helm the head coach and the backroom staff got the team playing a direction of football that has deservingly earn continuous praises of the majority of fans. In that, considerable improvements of numerous players in the senior squad, showcasing their abilities to the audience watching on.

Malaysian Football Content Creation

From fans to professional bodies of football clubs and football media organisations have stepped up their contention production. Giving to those wanting to consume content, features to consume and engage. Graphics, community fantasy football, videos, live streaming, tifos, banners, commentary, jersey making, and more. And creating good content to consume, create joy and love around.

"There's two paths that I always felt. You got your creation & you got your destruction. And the destruction path is packed [mentally & egotistically], you can't move because that is the easiest lane to take. Everybody can knock something, go 'Yeah that's stupid', take it down or lobby against it.
Once you are on the path of creation. You don't sit around. In the destruction path, you look around & hate all these people in turn everything. But when you are on the move, you love everything [and people]. World looks wholly different." - Kevin Smith

Malaysian Football Fans

Must admit, have slowly disengaged away from social media as venom and self-absorption-ness has been aggravate and seeks to destroy has been depressing. However, from time to time after being away from time to time a quick glance across the timeline on Twitter and on Instagram. There has been wise growth from some section of fans. Hopefully, more will join in on the path of creation and on the path of destruction in order to rejuvenate the whole Malaysian football from grassroots onwards.

Are We On The Verge Of A Cultural Reboot?

I came across the words, “Cultural Reboot“ fairly recently in a conversation with a fellow friend from the academic section. And it gave me pause for thoughts to reflect about what Malaysia has been through this year. For me, it is fair to assume that the seeds have been planted to spark a Malaysian football cultural reboot that could in fact usher us into an era where the industry vibrant, dynamic, holistic, consistent, and respectful for everyone, from everyone. All of us has a part to play in this story.