- Feb 1, 2005
- 19,120
- 6,003
- Staff
- #1
Today is the Malaysian FA Cup Final and it's set to be a humdinger.
Last season Kelantan won the treble in Malaysia. Coach Bojan Hodak had a great team, playing decent football. Then over the summer the board sold six of his best players (in his own words "well, five who were my best and one who had a bad attitude and I wanted rid of anyway"). Most were bought by a team that came about when the Prince of Johor (Malaysia's southern state, next door to Singapore) created a new franchise from two existing Johorean teams. Being obscenely rich he then signed players including Dani Guiza and various other former internationals. I have very strong ITK that next season this side - Johor Darul Taksim - will line up with Nicolas Anelka and Pablo Aimar. they're like the Man City of Malaysia.
Anyway, Johor DT signed all these Kelantan players and so Kelantan have struggled this season, they look likely to finish about sixth in the twelve team league. Johor DT are third and may yet snatch the title - in a fiercely competitive league campaign a Singapore invitation team may win the league (think Scotland U23s winning the Premier League!).
So today is the FA Cup Final and fittingly Kelantan, the holders, face Johor Darul Taksim. It'll be an amazing atmosphere as it's taking place in a full-house of 100,000+ in the Bukit Jalil Stadium. There'll be drums, flares, songs, and a fierce rivalry for two sides desperate to win.
Basically, everything you want from the FA Cup, but which these days the Budweiser-sponsored tournament so abjectly fails to deliver.
So, if you're missing football this summer, do yourself a favour and find a way of watching a proper Cup Final at 1.45pm today. It may be pretty ordinary technically but it's bloody entertaining and the atmosphere will be immense. You may also (seeing as I'll be about a foot taller than anyone else in the stadium) see me in the crowd.
Malaysia Boleh!
Last season Kelantan won the treble in Malaysia. Coach Bojan Hodak had a great team, playing decent football. Then over the summer the board sold six of his best players (in his own words "well, five who were my best and one who had a bad attitude and I wanted rid of anyway"). Most were bought by a team that came about when the Prince of Johor (Malaysia's southern state, next door to Singapore) created a new franchise from two existing Johorean teams. Being obscenely rich he then signed players including Dani Guiza and various other former internationals. I have very strong ITK that next season this side - Johor Darul Taksim - will line up with Nicolas Anelka and Pablo Aimar. they're like the Man City of Malaysia.
Anyway, Johor DT signed all these Kelantan players and so Kelantan have struggled this season, they look likely to finish about sixth in the twelve team league. Johor DT are third and may yet snatch the title - in a fiercely competitive league campaign a Singapore invitation team may win the league (think Scotland U23s winning the Premier League!).
So today is the FA Cup Final and fittingly Kelantan, the holders, face Johor Darul Taksim. It'll be an amazing atmosphere as it's taking place in a full-house of 100,000+ in the Bukit Jalil Stadium. There'll be drums, flares, songs, and a fierce rivalry for two sides desperate to win.
Basically, everything you want from the FA Cup, but which these days the Budweiser-sponsored tournament so abjectly fails to deliver.
So, if you're missing football this summer, do yourself a favour and find a way of watching a proper Cup Final at 1.45pm today. It may be pretty ordinary technically but it's bloody entertaining and the atmosphere will be immense. You may also (seeing as I'll be about a foot taller than anyone else in the stadium) see me in the crowd.
Malaysia Boleh!