PUTRAJAYA: Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Rahman, who earlier didn’t sound enthusiastic on FAM’s plan to get naturalised football players, softened his stand a little after Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad commented on the issue today.
Dr Mahathir said he was open to including naturalised players in the national team, but warned against fielding an entire side of foreigners.
Syed Saddiq said grassroots development should still be the priority so that local players always have a spot on the national team.
"I have discussed this issue before. If you digest Tun Mahathir's statement, it is same as the statement which I made earlier — that there is no problem in fielding naturalised players.
"However, we still need to develop local talent so that we do not leave them out of the picture (if the naturalisation plan takes shape).
"I will meet FA of Malaysia officials on Thursday to discuss the direction of the sport, especially grassroots development," said Syed Saddiq.
During an interview last Friday, it appeared that the sports minister was not agreeable to including naturalised players into the national squad.
Dr Mahathir said having naturalised players is a normal thing in football worldwide, and that it is not wrong for Harimau Malaya to use the same approach.