Mat Yo may stay with Kelantan after all

Norshahrul Idlan Talaha or Mat Yo may stay put with Kelantan next season if the terms of his transfer are unacceptable to the Johor Football Association (PBNJ).

Kelantan Football Association (Kafa) president Tan Sri Annuar Musa said Kafa was willing to sell Norshahrul if there was a buyer, otherwise the player would remain with Kelantan.

"Don't tell me we have to leave him in the lurch. He is still our player. We will release him if there is a buyer.

"But, please don't lower the dignity of local players. If we are selling him cheap, that is the price of Malaysian football," he told reporters after attending the parade of three trophies won by Kelantan at the Kelantan Sports Council, here today.

It was rumoured that PBNJ was willing to pay a transfer fee of RM1 million for Norshahrul Idlan to Kafa.

Annuar said Kafa incurred almost RM1 million on Norshahrul during his contract, which included a two-year pay package amounting to RM800,000, the Employees Provident Fund subscriptions, and a bonus of between RM70,000 and RM80,000 per annum.

"Mat Yo also received a gratuity each time he lifted the 'Most Valuable Player' title. When he got married, we gave nearly RM100,000. That is the cost we have to take into account," Anwar said, but declined to divulge details of the deal.

Annuar said Kafa might lose a few sponsors for the hullabaloo over Mat Yo's transfer had created a ripple with critics saying that Kelantan might not be able to defend any of the titles next season.

"We have just started negotiating with sponsors. If we say we may lose up to RM6 million, don't tell me we are going to ask Johor to pay RM6 million? We have to be reasonable, but at the same time, we can't afford to suffer losses," he said.