TO save this season’s M-League from being cancelled as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the FA of Malaysia (FAM) can look at several Timesport options.
The national football body will be coming out with a statement this week on the fate of the M-League, which has been suspended since March 16.
While aborting the M-League would be the last option, the health and safety of the players is more important than the game itself.
But with the Movement Control Order (MCO) expected to be extended, albeit with fewer restrictions, one area that the Ministry of Health strongly recommends is a ban on inter-state crossing.
If this rule comes into effect, it will virtually cripple the M-League as the teams won’t be able to travel to other states for matches.
The inter-state travel ban is expected to be implemented for at least six months. If it started in May, it would end in October.
So one option FAM or the Malaysian Football League can consider is to seek special permission from the authorities to bring all the teams to a central location, say Kuala Lumpur, put them in separate hotels with a strict Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) related to the measures taken against Covid-19.
But before that, all players, coaches, team officials and other concerned staff will have to undergo Covid-19 tests and be cleared before they can travel.
Then the teams can be transported from one “Clean Area” to another “Clean Area” and are constantly monitored.
Adopt the present quarantine rules followed by hotels for guests coming from overseas.
Organise a month-long league to complete the M-League fixtures but with only one match instead of two (no more home and away) to be played in empty stadiums and streamed live to fans.
This way, the players will still be employed and the fans can still get their dose of football.
This season, the teams have played four league games each, which leaves 18 more matches, if played home and away.
If the carnival format and centralising of teams do not get the approval of the authorities, then the best option is cancel the M-League and concentrate on the Malaysia Cup.
The Malaysia Cup can be played on a knockout format in October and then complete the FA Cup fixtures too.
Discuss with the Asian Football Confederation and seek their approval for the FA Cup and Malaysia Cup winners to qualify for AFC tournaments next year.
Under this format, May to August can be considered “off season”.
The other option would be to resume the M-League in October and let it continue into next year like the English Premier League which runs over two years.
Of course, the “off season” in May to August will raise questions concerning the salaries of players and coaches.
That needs to be discussed and resolved.
The aforementioned options are definitely better than cancelling the M-League which will result in players and coaches losing their jobs.