FAM hit out at Pahang for rejecting AFC Cup spot

Peter de Roo, technical director of the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), was highly critical of Pahang for choosing not to compete in the 2018 AFC Cup.

After FA Cup winners Kedah were ruled ineligible to participate in the continental tournament, the 2017 Malaysian Super League runners-up were offered the opportunity.

However, they refused the offer to focus on the M-League, leading to criticism from the 47-year-old Dutchman.

"We want [Malaysian] football to progress further in the international arena, as it will enable us to get maximum exposure at the highest level," he was quoted saying on the FAM’s official Facebook page on Tuesday.

"Unfortunately, however, it will be a difficult task to achieve that if teams do not take international competitions seriously and are only interested in domestic competitions, such as Pahang.

"I have never personally encountered any team in the world who would refuse the opportunity to play on the international stage."

De Roo also claimed Pahang’s refusal is detrimental to the FAM’s relationship with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

"Pahang’s action of withdrawing themselves from the AFC competition clearly illustrates a lack of respect for the AFC, which might affect the country’s rankings as well as compromise the good relationship the FAM have with the AFC," he added.

Besides Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) and Pahang, Selangor and PKNS are the only teams in the Malaysian Super League to have the AFC licence to compete in AFC competitions, but it remains unclear if the AFC will allow another replacement to be named.

Article 12.12 of the AFC Entry Manual states that "if an eligible club refuses to enter an AFC competition, despite being licensed and meeting the sporting criteria, the slot allocated to its Member Association shall be annulled, regardless of whether it is a direct slot or playoff slot."