logo
Karathu can't believe what's happening to Perak

Karathu can't believe what's happening to Perak

The Star27-04-2025

From glory to sorry days: Perak players celebrating with then coach Karl Weigang after they won the Malaysia Cup in 2000. Inset: Datuk M. Karathu, an iconic figure in Perak football, expressed his dismay over the club's decline.
PETALING JAYA: Perak's exit from the M-League next season is a big shame.
Veteran coach Datuk M. Karathu, an iconic figure in Perak football, expressed his dismay over the club's decline.
Karathu said it was shocking to see such a proud team, an eight-time Malaysia Cup champion, brought to the brink of collapse.
'Perak is a name respected across Malaysian football. This should not be happening,' he said.
Yesterday, Perak dropped a bombshell when they announced that they are out of next year's Super League.
Owners XOX have officially pulled out for the first time in a century.
Perak football, founded in 1921 (104 years ago), had played in every league until now. They have won the Malaysia Cup eight times.
Karathu, 82, who coached Perak on four occasions, blamed the management's inexperience and a lack of football expertise.
'I got the news through WhatsApp groups,' he said.
'I saw the management's statement - they claimed to have spent RM40 million but couldn't sustain the team. I believe inexperience played a big part.
'There were too many coaches compared to players. I saw a photo - it looked like there were two players for every coach!
'That's not how you run a club, especially when facing financial difficulties.'
Club chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azim Mohd Zabidi said the owners XOX Bhd had officially withdrawn from next season's Super League, bringing the state team's journey to a sad closure.
'We started with big dreams – to build something sustainable, something Perakians could be proud of. We believed that with your support, we could create a club that weren't just competitive, but rooted in community and passion,' said Azmi in a statement.
'We walked into a club burdened by nearly RM8mil in unpaid wages from the past. We cleared that, and we gave everything we had – time, belief, and nearly RM40mil over three years.
'But the reality is that the support we needed didn't grow the way we hoped. Support from Perak's public and private sectors never came in and the expected growth in Perak's subscriber base fell very short of expectations.
'The internal funds have now dried up, and we just can't keep going.
'Whatever funds remain - from merchandise, league dues, and our final budget – will go towards settling what we owe. It will not be enough, but it's all we have left.'
Azim said the team will continue to operate by selling their remaining merchandise, to raise funds.
Azim said the club were for sale and has asked any conglomerates or businesses to come forward and state their interest.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Tunku Ismail's pre-match pep talk powers M'sia to stunning victory
Tunku Ismail's pre-match pep talk powers M'sia to stunning victory

The Sun

time26 minutes ago

  • The Sun

Tunku Ismail's pre-match pep talk powers M'sia to stunning victory

A rousing pre-match speech by the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, lit a fire in Harimau Malaya as they stormed to a stunning 4-0 victory over Vietnam in their Asian Cup qualifier at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil last night. Shared via the national team's official Facebook page, a video captured the electrifying moment in the dressing room as Tunku Ismail addressed the squad with passion and conviction before kickoff. ALSO READ: Tunku Ismail calls for shift in mindset on local football infrastructure, says 90% of fields nationwide in 'terrible' state 'Try to bring our national football to a higher level,' he started off. 'Whatever we build is nothing if we do not have a result. 'Remember, there are some who doubt us. 'Nevermind, we are doing something new that they are not used to. Let your performance speak louder,' he told the players. 'It's time to show our true colours. If we change football in our homeland, it will be because of you, not anyone else, you are the heroes. 'You make them feel a sense of belonging, you make them believe. 'We want them to believe, and one way they can believe is when we show character, a fighting spirit, this is our home. 'Go!' he fired. Tunku Ismail, who is also the owner of Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT), has long championed the growth of Malaysian football, and his words clearly struck a chord. Inspired by his rousing speech, Malaysia stunned regional giants Vietnam to break an 11-year winless streak, climbing to the top of Group F with six points—three ahead of Vietnam and Laos, while Nepal remained rooted at the bottom without a win.

Anwar congratulates Harimau Malaya on 4-0 win over Vietnam
Anwar congratulates Harimau Malaya on 4-0 win over Vietnam

New Straits Times

time33 minutes ago

  • New Straits Times

Anwar congratulates Harimau Malaya on 4-0 win over Vietnam

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has congratulated the national football team on their recent feat in defeating Vietnam in the Asian Cup Group F qualifier. In a Facebook post, Anwar described Harimau Malaya's performance during last night's match as the beginning of a stronger comeback. "Congratulations, Harimau Malaya. Let yesterday's victory be the start of a more glorious comeback," he said. Meanwhile, Bernama reported that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) expressed its gratitude to Anwar and the Malaysian government for their full assistance and support, which contributed to Harimau Malaya's resounding 4-0 victory over Vietnam at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium. In a statement, FAM announced that apart from financial support through special allocations for Harimau Malaya, the government also facilitated the documentation process for new heritage players, enabling them to feature in the second Group F match of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup Final Qualifiers in Saudi Arabia. "It is hoped that the full support from the country's top leadership and fans will continue to inspire Harimau Malaya's performance in upcoming international matches, en route to becoming one of the giants of Asian football," the statement read. Before more than 60,000 spectators yesterday, Malaysia ended an 11-year winless streak against Vietnam with goals from Joao Figueiredo in the 49th minute, Rodrigo Holgado (59th), Corbin Ong (67th), and Dion Cools (89th). The result puts Malaysia at the top of Group F with six points, while Vietnam sits in second place with three.

Thank you, PM for the support
Thank you, PM for the support

The Sun

timean hour ago

  • The Sun

Thank you, PM for the support

KUALA LUMPUR: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) expressed its gratitude to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Malaysian government for their full assistance and support to Harimau Malaya which led to their roaring 4-0 victory over Vietnam at Bukit Jalil National Stadium, last night. FAM in a statement announced that apart from financial assistance through special allocations for Harimau Malaya, the Malaysian Government also facilitated the documentation of new heritage players to enable them to play in the second match of Group F for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup Final Qualifiers in Saudi Arabia. 'It is hoped the full support from the country's top leadership and supporters will continue to inspire the performance of Harimau Malaya in upcoming international matches en route to become one of the giants in Asia,' the statement quoted. Before more than 60,000 spectators yesterday, Malaysia ended an 11-year winless streak against Vietnam with four goals from Joao Figueiredo in the 49th minute, Rodrigo Holgado ('59), Corbin Ong ('67) and Dion Cools ('89). The result saw Malaysia take the lead in Group F with six points, while Vietnam is in second place with three points.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store