FAM must focus on setting up academies in states - Rozi Mamat

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) must make it compulsory for every state or club's representing the state to set up an academy to ensure the development of sports.

Terengganu Youth, Sports and Human Resource committee chairman Datuk Rozi Mamat said setting up an academy must be the focus of everyone and not just focus on the M-League competition like FA Cup, League or Malaysia Cup.

"I urge the FAM to concentrate on development and not focus on big competitions alone. We are spending huge sums of money, so the focus should be on development.

"We are spending big bucks to face competitions like the Malaysia Cup but nobody is focused on development. Development of football takes a long time, probably between 10 to 15 years. We must not expect results face and focus on big competitions," he said when speaking at the Santai Bicara Calon Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) 2015 programme at Telemong, here today.

He said the FAM should set a ruling to make it compulsory for every state to have an academy and the parent body must support such academies, not only in terms of finance but expertise and other forms of support.

Rozi said the Education Ministry must also play an important role by setting up academies in schools to churn out talented players for the future.