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Malay Mail
10-07-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
MFL cuts foreign player quota to six for 2025–2026 M-League season, cites need to develop local talent
KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 — The Malaysian Football League (MFL) yesterday announced an amendment to the foreign player ruling for the Malaysia League (M-League) 2025–2026 season, reducing the number of foreign players allowed on the pitch to six, from the previously announced seven. The decision was made following the 14th MFL Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting for the 2021–2025 term, taking into consideration the impact on the league and the development of local players. In a statement, MFL said the revised foreign player quota will now be 6+3 (substitutes), with a composition of 4 World + 1 Asia + 1 ASEAN players, compared to the previous 7+2 (substitutes) of 4 World + 1 Asia + 2 ASEAN. 'The decision to reduce one foreign player on the pitch is seen as a step towards balancing local and foreign players in the starting eleven on matchday. 'MFL believes that while foreign players add appeal and competitiveness to the league, developing local talent remains a core agenda to support the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) in strengthening the Harimau Malaya squad,' the statement added. MFL said the decision also followed feedback from clubs, many of whom felt that additional ASEAN players had little impact on team performance. However, the total number of foreign players a club can register remains at 15. 'Clubs are not obligated to fill the foreign quota, as it depends on their specific needs and financial capacity. 'This is in line with the monitoring of club spending under the Financial Fair Play (FFP) framework, which will enforce a salary cap mechanism limiting player wages to 80 per cent of each club's budget,' it said. In another development, MFL announced the M-League 2025–2026 calendar, with the season kicking off on Aug 8 with the Charity Shield match between Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) and Selangor FC at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium — which also doubles as the Super League's opening match. According to MFL, the Super League season is expected to end on May 16, 2026 — a 10-month run compared to the 14-month transitional season previously. 'The FA Cup is scheduled to begin on August 15, 2025, with the final set for December 14, 2025. 'The prestigious Malaysia Cup will kick off on January 17, 2026, with the final slated for May 23, 2026,' it added. Meanwhile, the MFL Challenge Cup will begin on February 6, 2026, with the two-legged final matches scheduled for April 4 and April 18, 2026. 'This season, MFL has released the full-season calendar at once, unlike last season's phased announcement. However, adjustments may still be needed due to the AFC's upcoming draw for the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) and AFC Champions League 2 (ACL2) on August 15, involving JDT and Selangor FC. 'In addition, both clubs will also participate in the ASEAN Club Championship, with the complete match schedule only released yesterday by the AFF, which has delayed MFL's ability to finalise the M-League calendar earlier for clubs and supporters,' it said. — AFP
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Charlotte to host international rugby match for second weekend in a row
Charlotte is enhancing its status as a sports city by hosting an international rugby competition, where the USA national rugby team, the Eagles, defeated Belgium 36-17 at Memorial Stadium on July 5th in their first of two matches. The USA national team will take on Spain this weekend in their last match in Charlotte. Advertisement ALSO READ: Charlotte FC and Laundry Project team up to help hundreds of local families Several players from Charlotte's own professional rugby team, Anthem RC, are part of the national team, highlighting the local talent contributing to the sport's growth. Charlotte is being considered as a potential host city for the 2031 Rugby World Cup, which will be held in the United States. The second game of the series will see the Eagles face off against Spain this Saturday at 7:30 PM at Memorial Stadium. (WATCH BELOW: Gastonia cooling center opens after previous controversy)
Free Malaysia Today
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Free Malaysia Today
A dashing bachelor, dowry joke, a trusted butler and a bra prank
Bachelor admiral K Thanabalasingam still single, steady and strategic at age 89. KUALA LUMPUR : As Malaysia's first local navy chief, K Thanabalasingam felt deeply honoured by the attention. The young bachelor was equally surprised when Tunku Abdul Rahman personally extended dinner invitations to him. At first, Thanabalasingam, who became chief of naval staff at 31 in 1967, assumed these soirées were mere courtesy. Soon he realised the prime minister had a subtle, yet sharp agenda. Welcoming foreign dignitaries into his home, Tunku sought to showcase Malaysia's rising local talent. And what better exhibit than a poised, well‑mannered admiral. Over time, Tunku and Thanabalasingam struck a genuine friendship. 'Gradually, when he got to know me better, I could tell he liked my company,' Thana writes in The Admiral's Reflections. More than diplomacy, these dinners became a chance for candid conversation. On one occasion, Tunku teased him in front of visiting envoys: 'You're just waiting for a windfall.' When Thana asked what windfall, the Tunku quipped with a hearty laugh, 'A big fat dowry, of course.' The foreign dignitaries got the joke and laughed along. That playful quip shone a light on Thanabalasingam's easy-going charm, and whose unmarried status became as legendary as his command. In an interview with FMT about his memoir, Thanabalasingam, (Thana), 89, admitted he put career over marriage. Still, he had his share of romance. 'I once dated three daughters of a senior Malay official, and their parents trusted me completely in those more open days.' A handsome K Thanabalasingam as a cadet officer (left), in a yacht (centre) and as chief of naval staff in 1967. (K Thanabalasingam pics) Bachelor on the frontline Thana's status as a bachelor didn't just spark dinner table jests — it shaped how friends and foes viewed Malaysia's naval leadership. In July 1975, at the Navy Day parade at KD Malaya in Singapore, Tunku's successor Abdul Razak Hussein paid Thana a glowing tribute. He singled out Thana alongside fellow bachelor Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah of Petronas for their contributions to the country. 'Our nation is indeed fortunate to have these two special bachelors at this time,' Razak proclaimed. Yet it was in moments of grave tension that Thana's calm resolve truly shone. In 1968, after President Marcos ordered an air‑sea build‑up near Sabah, two Philippine aircraft buzzed a Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) patrol craft off Sandakan. Summoned to an emergency cabinet meeting, the then-acting chief of armed forces staff knew that lives and sovereignty hung in the balance. His plan was swift: redeploy all available ships, aircraft and troops from Sarawak to Sabah for immediate reinforcement. Tunku, impressed by the on‑the‑spot recommendation, ordered its execution. He then surprised Thana by instructing him to hold a press conference to warn the Philippines that any further airspace violations would be met with force. To avoid probing press questions, Thana opted for a firm press statement instead. He chuckled when Manila fired back with their own press release, complete with detailed RMN strength estimates, 'information any open‑source keen observer could glean from Jane's Fighting Ships.' Philippine newspapers even sneered at his youth and bachelorhood as signs of inexperience. But there was no armed clash, and by year's end the frictions eased. Thana said due to the frosty relations between Malaysia and the Philippines, he never visited the country during his nine-year tenure as navy chief. K Thanabalasingam with Phee Kok Yam's daughter, Ming Yeen, then aged four (left). Phee with Ming Yeen after her graduation ceremony at Universiti Sains Penang (right). A lifelong bond Behind every great bachelor is an equally steadfast companion. For more than five decades, that friend has been Phee Kok Yam, Thana's butler, house manager and de facto family. Alor Setar-born Phee joined the RMN as a recruit in 1966 and served aboard KD Hang Tuah under commander Thana. In early 1968, Thana handpicked him to manage matters at his official residence, a role Phee has filled ever since. Today, Phee, 81, looks after all his personal affairs — house, garden, dogs, geese, fish and bills. 'I'd say he's not one in a million, but I prefer to call him my butler or major-domo,' said Thana. When Phee's wife and daughter embraced Thana's bachelor heart, they became more family to him than his own relatives. In The Admiral's Reflections, seven pages are devoted to their warmth, a testament to bonds forged beyond blood. That bond was tested on a fateful September night in 2015, when three robbers, armed with parangs, invaded Thana's Ampang home. Phee, ever loyal, shielded his employer and suffered a head wound requiring a dozen stitches. Thana fought back with his walking stick, hammering one attacker until police arrived. K Thanabalasingam on the KD Sri Pahang. (K Thanabalasingam pic) Flag prank Even a respected admiral couldn't resist youthful pranks. While commanding KD Sri Pahang, Thana once substituted 'flag India' (the naval signal for intending to berth) with a lady's undergarment — a bra. His shipmates roared, and whenever that cheeky silhouette fluttered at the mast, everyone knew exactly which ship it was. The joke stayed within the RMN until the senior officer flotilla ordered him to strike the 'flag' and report for an explanation. After a stern dressing down, he saluted and departed only to be asked, 'Where the hell did you get it?' Thana's salute froze mid-air. 'It's a long story, sir,' he quipped, earning a grudging grin and an invitation for drinks at the wardroom. He never hoisted that brassiere again, but the legend endures. To purchase the 492-page, The Admiral's Reflections, contact 019 261 4948.
CTV News
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Barrie shines spotlight on local talent as applications open for busking program
Barrie is shining the spotlight on local talent as applications open up for this year's busking program. Musicians, magicians, poets and performers, are invited to apply for a free permit to busk along the waterfront and in the downtown area. The list of designated busking zones around Barrie include: Dunlop Street between Maple Avenue, Mulcaster Street, Meridian Place, Heritage Park, the Marina, Centennial Park and many more. This special program works together with the Emerging Artist Program in an effort to animate downtown Barrie. Busker permits are required for all performances happening on city property where the performer is accepting tips from the public. Obtaining your permit is free and people of all ages are encouraged by the city to apply. Performances involving fire or sharp objects are not permitted in Barrie. Talent will need to provide full contact information, details on the performance type, and a certificate of insurance in order to secure a busking permit. Applications will be accepted into the fall. To learn more about the program and to apply, click here.
New York Times
30-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Jack Hinshelwood's England glory is just the start – Brighton's academy is thriving
Jack Hinshelwood's success with England at the European Under-21 Championship highlights a production line of local talent coming through Brighton & Hove Albion's academy. Hinshelwood and club colleague James Beadle were part of the team that defeated Germany 3-2 after extra time in the final of the tournament in Slovakia on Saturday evening. Advertisement While 20-year-old goalkeeper Beadle, a Londoner, was signed at age 17 from Charlton Athletic in the January 2022 transfer window, Hinshelwood was born in Worthing — four miles from where his journey began as an under-seven at Brighton's training headquarters in Lancing. Hinshelwood, primarily a central midfielder, was used at left-back and right-back during the Euros by England Under-21s head coach Lee Carsley. The 20-year-old has made spectacular progress over the last two seasons, first under Roberto De Zerbi and then his successor as head coach, Fabian Hurzeler. Brighton's reputation for signing and developing young players from far-flung corners of the world has camouflaged the talent they have nurtured on their doorstep. Alongside the global recruitment operation, matchday squads in the Premier League last season featured five youngsters with bright futures who have come through the club's academy HQ, the American Express Elite Performance Centre (AEEPC). In the 84th minute of Brighton's final home game of the season against Liverpool, Hinshelwood was part of a double substitution with his cousin Harry Howell, who became the club's youngest Premier League player (at 17 years and 29 days old). Hinshelwood credited Howell — a versatile attacker who has represented England under-16s and under-17s — with a near-post run that helped created space for him to convert the winner a minute after the pair were introduced. Six days later, Howell was part of Brighton's bench in a league game for the fifth time of the season. Hinshelwood, back in the starting line-up in a more attacking role, scored twice in the second half of the closing 4-1 win away at Tottenham Hotspur. Howell also started out at the age of seven at the AEEPC. Three other local lads have benefited from the high-tech training facility funded by owner-chairman Tony Bloom and opened in 2014, three years after Brighton opened their 32,000-seater Amex Stadium. Charlie Tasker, a 19-year-old right-back with a strong work ethic who gets up and down the pitch, was an unused substitute in five of Brighton's Premier League games in April before injuries affected his chances of further involvement. The three-year contract, which has the option of a further year, Tasker signed this month reflects his progress. Hurzeler told reporters before the home game against West Ham in April that Tasker, who joined the club as a six-year-old, 'has all the values of this club' and 'the physical basics and mindset to play in the Premier League'. Advertisement Joe Knight, also 19, was an unused substitute in three league games across January and March. A tenacious and gifted central midfielder with distinctive blonde hair, he can play in a deep-lying, box-to-box or attacking midfield role. Completing the set of homegrown academy youngsters is 17-year-old Freddie Simmonds, who made the bench for the 2-2 home draw against Leicester in April. The central defender is accomplished on the ball, and has captained England's under-16s and under-17s. 'That's great numbers,' says Mark Hendon, Brighton's academy co-ordinator from 2005 to 2017, when reflecting on the number of local youngsters making an impact on Brighton's first-team squad. 'It has always been documented that there is not much talent in Sussex and not many players come through and make it. 'Added to Solly March and Lewis Dunk, all of a sudden you have seven players born and bred in Sussex around the first team.' Images on the walls at the AEEPC, proudly displaying the homegrown players who have made it all the way through the system, are taking up more space than ever before. As recently as the 2020-21 season, only four out of 500 players in Premier League squads (0.8 per cent) were born in Sussex — Dunk, March, Brighton team-mate Adam Webster and Fulham midfielder Harrison Reid. Although Webster is from Chichester, he played for Portsmouth, Aldershot Town (on loan), Ipswich Town and Bristol City before signing for Brighton for £20million ($27m) in August 2019. Examples of players such as Reid and Webster slipping through the net or being lured by other clubs are increasingly rare. First-team stalwarts Dunk, 33, and 30-year-old March pre-date the AEEPC and the Amex Stadium. When they came through, the task of identifying and developing young talent was run on a shoestring by Martin Hinshelwood, Jack's great uncle. The senior squad prepared for matches in the lower divisions at Withdean Stadium — a converted athletics track — with training sessions at the University of Sussex, a stone's throw from the Amex Stadium site. The under-18s trained and played matches at the university on pitches inferior to the 11 natural grass and artificial pitches at the pristine AAEPC. Advertisement Centres of excellence were run out of leisure centres in Worthing and Eastbourne on sand-based artificial pitches, with Martin Hinshelwood overseeing a skeleton staff and unpaid scouts. 'There was no money, no resources, everyone was voluntary,' says Hendon, who initially worked for the club on a part-time basis. 'They gave us a club coat and off we went scouting.' Despite the limitations, midfielder Tommy Fraser and full-back Sam Rents several came through the system to make debuts in League One during the reign of former club midfielder Dean Wilkins between 2006 and 2008. Other locally bred talents familiar to Wilkins in his previous role as youth-team coach were blooded in the Championship by manager Mark McGhee from 2004 to 2006. They included central defenders Tommy Elphick and Joel Lynch, winger Dean Cox and striker Joe Gatting. The hit rate was impressive in the circumstances, but the AEEPC was kickstarted a slicker, more forensic operation. David Burke, appointed head of football operations at the beginning of 2012, had experience of establishing academies in previous jobs at Fulham, Southampton and Manchester City. The club secured Category One academy status — the highest of four levels in England — in July 2014, four months before the AEEPC opened. 'Everything changed overnight in terms of facilities and resources but also in structure,' says Hendon. 'We could put a proper team together, pay them (full-time). We could cover everything locally and nationally.' Contact time increased from training once a week and a game on a Sunday to three or four sessions per week. 'All of a sudden, these kids were getting loads more hours, touches on the ball, and it ended up with these players coming right through,' Hendon says. 'It changed the perception. Everyone local then wanted to be at the local club. We set up five or six centres around Sussex, purely for pre-academy ages. We wanted to scout the raw talent early, then we invited them to three sessions at those centres. David (Burke) called it 'systematic coverage'. 'We aimed to watch every player we could in Sussex — Saturday clubs, Sunday clubs, the schools, the districts, the counties. We didn't miss anything. The seven- and eight-year-olds would be at their centres once a week, then train at the main centre, the best 10 or 12. 'We also held lots of mini tournaments at the training ground. David always used to say it was Tony's ambition to bring a player through from the early days of the academy to the first team. That is the 10-year recruitment cycle we are talking about now.' Tasker was in the under-nines when the AEEPC opened. 'We were blown away,' says Tasker's dad, Alan. 'It was absolutely 'wow'. Suddenly, they were in the training ground with amazing facilities. When kids are that age, they are almost too young to know what is going on. All they know is that they are enjoying playing football. Advertisement 'At that point, it probably meant more for the parents. It was our dream for him to be scouted by Brighton, it was a dream for him to be signed. We've been to most of the training grounds in the countries over the years. It's right up there. Other than Manchester City's, I don't think I have seen a better training ground.' Investing in the academy structure for monitoring and developing players has continued to expand over the years. Cameras installed on pitches allow analysts to sit inside and film matches, using a joystick to zoom in on passages of play and individual moments. Staffing has included interns working full-time on placements from the University of Chichester and youngsters on work experience at weekends to help with coverage of games. Bloom's ambition to see a product of the AEEPC go all the way through to the first team was fulfilled by Hinshelwood, who made his Premier League debut in May 2023, a month after his 18th birthday. It gathered pace last season with Howell, Tasker, Knight and Simmonds. The more Brighton establish themselves as a top-half Premier League club, the tougher it will get to rise all the way through the ranks, but there is a special connection between the player and fans when it happens. Hendon, now an agent for Sporting Talent, says: 'No one has got a crystal ball, so we don't know if it is going to be replicated, but everything is in place to carry on. There is every chance that we could have the same conversation in 10 years and today's under-sevens and under-eights will be making it. (Top photos: Getty Images)
