A unanimous voting decision by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) will see the beloved LionsXII team getting the boot from the Malaysia Super League.
The unexpected end to the four-year Memorandum of Understanding between the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and FAM will also mean that Malaysia's own Under-23 team Harimau Muda will be disbanded. They won't be playing in Singapore's S-League, just as the young lions won't be playing across the border.
FourFourTwo reports that the Singapore side refused to commit to bearing the costs of their accommodation and internal travel, and that contributed to the exit.
“The response from local teams were not encouraging either," said FAM deputy president Datuk Seri Afandi Hamzah. "So we decided in the best interest of both parties, we do not continue the Memorandum of Understanding with FAS."
The LionsXII will officially exit the Malaysian league at the end of the season on Dec 12, but they could very well be booted out earlier should they lose to Pahang this Saturday in the Malaysia Cup quarter-finals.
Singapore goalkeeper Hassan Sunny believes that the ousting will undeniably affect the national team — most of whom are in the LionsXII squad. "Our immediate priority is to assist the LionsXII players and backroom staff and we will be meeting them over the next few days," noted FAS in their statement on their expulsion.
FAS chief Zainudin Nordin however had an even more emotional take on things:
Photos: Facebook
A unanimous voting decision by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) will see the beloved LionsXII team getting the boot from the Malaysia Super League.
The unexpected end to the four-year Memorandum of Understanding between the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) and FAM will also mean that Malaysia's own Under-23 team Harimau Muda will be disbanded. They won't be playing in Singapore's S-League, just as the young lions won't be playing across the border.
FourFourTwo reports that the Singapore side refused to commit to bearing the costs of their accommodation and internal travel, and that contributed to the exit.
“The response from local teams were not encouraging either," said FAM deputy president Datuk Seri Afandi Hamzah. "So we decided in the best interest of both parties, we do not continue the Memorandum of Understanding with FAS."
The LionsXII will officially exit the Malaysian league at the end of the season on Dec 12, but they could very well be booted out earlier should they lose to Pahang this Saturday in the Malaysia Cup quarter-finals.
Singapore goalkeeper Hassan Sunny believes that the ousting will undeniably affect the national team — most of whom are in the LionsXII squad. "Our immediate priority is to assist the LionsXII players and backroom staff and we will be meeting them over the next few days," noted FAS in their statement on their expulsion.
FAS chief Zainudin Nordin however had an even more emotional take on things:
Photos: Facebook