Show winning ambitions to attract players instead of overpaying them, suggests Selangor's Izhar

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BY        ZULHILMI ZAINAL       Follow on Twitter

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Malaysian clubs need to start regarding their players as an asset whose value can increase if they want to stop overspending on wages, says Selangor vice-president Izhar Moslim.

Earlier this week, an article (in Bahasa Melayu) by him was published by local football website Semuanya Bola , where he detailed how the huge salaries paid to footballers in Malaysia is stopping professional football from becoming a sustainable industry in the country.

As a response to the arguments in his article, Goal asked Izhar, who has been a key figure at the club since the takeover by current president Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin last year; how can Malaysia clubs attract good signings without overspending?

In a brief written answer, the corporate figure detailed how Malaysian clubs can still attract good signings without splashing the cash.

Zulhilmi Zainal

"1) Having a responsible management that values the players by treating them professionally. 

2) Providing them a comfortable working space and in this case (football), a high quality pitch and complete training facilities.

3) Making sure that the players' welfare is taken care of. This includes paying their salaries on time, including medical benefits, and emphasising on injury treatments

4) Showing the vision of the club and the desire to win. Only a club with ambition can attract winners. The players need to know, understand and be clear how they fit into the overall plan to achieve this vision, what role they play and the expectations both from the club to them and vice versa.

5) Adding value by having an active media (online/mainstream/social) presence because this raises the profile of the players. Interviews, articles, videos and pictures will help increase their portfolio and raise their value."

Drawing from his corprorate background, Izhar summarised the approach adopted by the Red Giants since Tengku Amir's takeover:

"It's a general principle for good employers to take care of their employees. In ths modern world, employees are the most valuable asset. The problem lies in the market environment (football in particular) as the employees are now being paid too high.

"But that doesnt mean that we can run away from our responsibilities as responsible employers," he added. 

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