Johor FA (JFA) honorary secretary Capt Anizam Jamian feels that the Economic Control Programme (ECP) will be the best way for M-League teams to overcome their debt problems.
He said this is because the ECP, to be launched by the Malaysia Football League (MFL) next season, can help determine their financial viability as well as means to sustain in the domestic league, including for signing new players.
“I see the ECP as a good step towards managing finances for all clubs in Malaysia,” he said.
“I foresee clubs being more thorough in preparing their budgets and more organised in dealing with revenue matters.
“If there is no such system, teams won’t know if they have the financial capacity to spend on players and this can lead to clubs not being able to pay players their salaries.”
The ECP briefings officially commenced when the MFL met the Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) club management recently.
The meeting saw the MFL, represented by Planning and Strategy Unit head, Reuben Chong, and PricewaterhouseCoopers associate Ting Choo Wai, holding a briefing with Anizam at the JDT headquarters in Johor Baru.
The MFL have also met with Kelantan, PJ City FC, Pahang and Negri Sembilan.
For the record, when the Spanish League implemented the ECP in 2012, its clubs faced debts amounting to over €600 million (RM2.8billion), of which €90 million (RM418million) was players’ salaries.
In 2017, after just five years, the La Liga managed to completely wipe out the €90 million debt.