THE progress of football in the country needs a comprehensive programme, patience and a change in mentality, says Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

“Malaysian football will only advance when there is an overall development and the effort has begun with several changes paved by the new FAM (Football Association of Malaysia) leadership,” said Khairy in a statement on the hot debate over the state of local football.

According to him, the U-22 squad’s qualification to the 2018 AFC U-23 finals and their silver medal achievement at 2017 Sea Games as well as the U-19 squad emerging as runners-up in the AFF U-19 championship were testimonies of initial success.

Khairy in the statement said that the National Football Development Programme (NFDP) had trained 22,575 players, aged seven to 17, under 1,025 coaches at 126 academies nationwide.

“Even though the position of the national squad fell in the latest FIFA rankings, we need to look at the medium and long term with patience. Changes and improvements do not come in the blink of an eye.

“I am aware we have been patient and have waited for something but remember the leadership of FAM had just been elected on March 25,” he said.

In this regard, Khairy also wanted all parties to have a positive mentality and not to impulsively criticise national football and FAM leadership without deeper thoughts.

“I am sad to see the polemics of national football which attack individuals without checking any facts or run down and mock football personalities. Such a mentality is not present in successful countries. What they have is a positive mindset and winning mentality,” he said.

He also hoped the leadership of FAM would continue to move forward and ignore such negative voices.

“We have a competent FAM leadership led by Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim who have an impeccable record as JDT owner. I hope we will all give him time to build a successful national football squad.

“I am confident he could also lend his magic touch, which put JDT at the peak of Southeast Asian football, to the national squad. On conditions, we must be positive and support FAM in whatever ways necessary to build Malaysia as an Asian football giant,” he said. – Bernama, October 18, 2017.