PETALING JAYA: Super League outfit UPB-MyTEAM have made an earnest appeal to withdraw from the Malaysia Cup competition due to financial constraints.

Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) Competitions Committee chairman Datuk Che Mat Jusoh said they (FAM) had received an appeal from the UPB-MyTEAM team management to withdraw due to financial constraints.

UPB-MyTEAM, a club that was formed as a result of a successful reality television show ‘MyTEAM’, are currently lying in 11th spot with six matches remaining in the Super League which comprises 14 teams.

“We have decided to call the UPB-MyTEAM management to discuss their appeal to withdraw from the Malaysia Cup as a withdrawal will have serious implications to the team, players and officials,” he told Bernama after chairing a Competitions Committee meeting at Wisma FAM here yester-day.

The Malaysia Cup is set to kick off on September 25.

He added that apart from UPB-MyTEAM, he had also received information unofficially that a number of teams playing in the Super League, Premier League and President’s Cup may also follow UPB-MyTEAM’s footsteps.

“Some teams are said to be unable to pay the wages of players but for now, we have only received UPB-MyTEAM’s appeal. We expect to receive more withdrawal requests soon,” he said.

Che Mat said teams competing in the league would require a minimum budget of RM2.5 million a season.

“The RM2.5 million is the least minimum required for expenditure to manage a team in the league.

“The expenses involve salary of players and officials, allowances, transport, accommo- dation and other incidental costs.

“If a team doesn’t have the financial capability, they cannot complete the season successfully.”

Furthermore, teams are also finding difficulty in securing sponsorship from the private sector,” he said.

He added that all this was happening despite the FAM’s decision to bar foreign players from playing in the league, as a means of reducing their financial burden, but teams are still finding difficulties paying the salary of local players.

“If they can’t even pay the local players, how are they going to pay the high salaries demanded by foreign players? he asked.

He added that FAM had tried various competition formats but the main element remains the strong financial standing of a team to ensure a smooth season.

It was also why FAM president Sultan Ahmad Shah had urged the Competitions Committee to review the M-League format to ensure only teams with a strong financial standing compete in the league, he said.

— Bernama