[this whole feature is based on a rumor that the new season will change the existing system and the Season is set to start in June. From June to June, as in Europe]

Why are we sabotaging football?

Two days to the end of the league and we don’t even know what is coming next season! I don’t know what department in the Ministry or the Association is responsible for this! But now this talk of delaying the league to June in order to make the football season more like European football is absurd.

I wonder which smart guy(s) makes these decisions. Either these people have no idea what they are doing or they have some personal gain from this? Why?

First of all, are we at all interested in telling the public to come and watch the games? If so stop making such huge changes every year and confusing the public. Try doing some research as to why people are not watching the league. It’s not like Maldivian teams play ugly football. Whatever that is.

There are National level players in United Victory, Club Valencia and Da Gang. Already poor planning has people like Toplak (Hassan Tholal), a SAFF Championship winner away from football since United Victory didn’t make it to the Premier League. Do these people wearing ties think of the players when making these changes to the league format? These National players are to stay away from football for a year? Well done! Whoever made these brilliant plans and whoever agreed to this!

We will never be a good footballing nation until we can convince the people that this is a proper profession. Like the hashtag of Olympic committee member Marzooq Ahmed (#KulhivarakeeKulhiKulhivarehNoon), we need to tell parents that this is a good profession so that our best players from the Youth Development Program are not shipped off to Colombo to become accountants. Footballers make money, but these stupid decisions effect the players. These National level players aren’t going to play for a year, the rest of the players are getting a six month holiday? Brilliant!

Summer holidays is when everyone takes time off, the children have school holidays and generally those are the days Europeans take time off, so their season ends in May and the players go to their families and they plan the summer together. Our Holiday season is December. All the mature players go to their families, they go on annual holidays and all. The rest of the players play brilliantly planned, properly marketed tournaments like Siyam-Mauroof Cup and so on. All these are set for the holiday seasons. Does the FAM expect that good will come after clashing with all organizers of all these tournaments?

The argument it seems is the AFC Cup. If we play from June to June, apparently the clubs get more preparation time for that. Just for this one reason that effects two clubs, the whole system is to change? Brilliant!

If this is the case there will be other ways than overhauling the whole system.

I wonder if technical staff from clubs agree to this!? If they don’t now is the **** time to speak up. It’s time you guys stand up for us players.

Hope the newly appointed Minister, AFC or even FIFA help us in this. Already due to negligence of administrative work, Maldivian players have lost the chance to play in the AFC Cup, don’t try to appease the top clubs by changing the system. We players depend on football for a living. For the next six months what are we supposed to do? Are you still telling the parents of Youth Development players to let their children play football?

Who will stand up for us players, Marzooq, Mahloof, coaches! Anyone? Or shall we give up and go fishing as so many talented players have done!

From A Very Concerned Player XXX

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