MOKHTAR Dahari Football Academy (AMD) technical director, Lim Teong Kim believes Luqman Hakim Shamsudin’s parents or siblings should join him abroad once he signs with Belgian side KV Kortrijk for five years, effective next March.
Teong Kim knows how tough it is to live in a foreign land without loved ones to help a player adapt to the weather, environment and playing conditions, having played for a full season with Hertha BSC in Germany in 1987.
And he doesn’t want 17-yearold Luqman to endure the same conditions which could prove mentally demanding especially for a youngster who doesn’t have a strong command of the English
language.
Therefore, Teong Kim, a former assistant coach ofthe Bayern Munich Under-19 team, suggested that the parties involved in Luqman’s proposed move to KV Kortrijk, should “sponsor” his parents or siblings to stay with him in Belgian.
“He needs the support. People need to support him.
“May it be his parents, siblings or friends, they must be there for him, maybe for the first six months. Someone to care for him, cook for him, then slowly ease off until he adapts to being alone,” he added.
Teong Kim said those making the arrangement for Luqman’s move to KV Kortrijk should have the commitment to follow through on his development and not just strike a deal.
“Everyone who made this happen can’t just chase glory but push an unprepared Luqman to Europe.
“It would be like ‘slavery’ be cause the conditions are not inhabitable for a ‘kampung boy’. Prepare him, psychologically and emotionally, then it would be
good.”
Homesickness, inability to adapt to weather conditions and salary issues were among the factors leading to the early return of several Malaysians who had tried to play abroad.
“Football is a very small part of your stay. There are 24 hours in a day and he (Luqman) will be left alone for 22 of it, so what will he do?” he said.
Teong Kim, whose contract with AMD is till the end of this month, said he hopes to see AMD continue with the same philosophy and DNA, as it has proven to
produce results.
“The AMD technical department should be run by someone independently with knowledge, expertise, skills and vast experience in international youth foot ball and not taking any instructions from ‘Jacks of all trades but masters of none’,” Teong Kim said.
“This is not the professional way of going about it and in this business, it takes the right people to make it work and only then will it function, like any other professional organisations in this world.
“Malaysian youth players need international exposure to improve their self-confidence, belief and discard their inferiority complex in order to be able to compete in international football.”
Recently, Luqman was offered a five-year contract by Belgian side KV Kortrijk, which will only begin after his 18th birthday in March next year.
Leading up to the signing of the contract in March, Luqman will be training alongside Premier League team Cardiff City.