Zairil steps down as FAP president
A June 7, 2017 file photo of Zairil (centre) with Penang head coach Zainal Abidin Hassan (right) with the then newcomer, striker Mark Hartman. - BERNAMA
Zairil Khir Johari became the second president to step down as the Football Association of Penang (FAP) within a year, following Penang's poor performance in the M-League.
Zairil whose resignation comes with immediate effect said he would take full responsibility for the Penang team's failure to maintain its status in the Super League next season.
"Penang's hopes of staying in the Super League has evaporated and I as the FAP president take full responsibility. I have therefore decided to step down, albeit a heavy heart, with immediate effect. I wish to thank all officials in the FAP and the state government for their support throughout my tenure since January," he said.
The 2017 Super League season which is coming to an end saw Penang manage to collect only 12 points from 21 matches played and are rooted at the bottom of the table.
"We brought in a coach with excellent credentials early in the season and later changed the strategy by bringing a local coach in former international Zainal Abidin Hassan but the outcome was the same," he said.
Zairil who was the team manager at the start of the season took over the role of president when Datuk Seri Nazir Ariff Munshir Ariff stepped down in January. -- Bernama
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