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Malaysia Super League

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Astro Malaysian Super League
File:Logo Liga Super 2011.JPG
Founded2004
Country Malaysia
 Singapore
ConfederationAFC (Asia)
Number of clubs14
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toMalaysia Premier League
Domestic cup(s)Malaysia Cup
Malaysia FA Cup
International cup(s)AFC Cup
Current championsKelantan
(2011)
Most championshipsKedah (2)
Selangor (2)
TV partnersAstro Arena
RTM
Websitemalaysiansuperleague.com
Current: 2012 Season

The Malaysia Super League (Liga Super Malaysia) is a Malaysian professional league for association football. At the top flight of the Malaysian football league system, it is contested between 14 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Malaysia Premier League. It was previously known as the Semi-Pro League from 1989 to 1993 and the M-League (Liga-M) from 1993 to 2004. It is currently sponsored by Astro and therefore officially known as the Astro Malaysia Super League. The competition formed in 2004 following the decision by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to privatize the league. As a result, MSL Sendirian Berhad (or MSL Proprietary Limited) was created to oversee the marketing aspects of the league.

Since 1979, a total of 11 clubs have been crowned champions of the Malaysian football system. Since the inception of the Super League in 2004, six teams have won the title: Kedah (2 titles), Selangor (2), Pahang (1), Perlis (1), Kelantan (1) and Negeri Sembilan (1). The current champions are Kelantan, who won the 2011 season.

History

Main article: History of Malaysian League and Trophy

A football league competition involving the representative sides of the state football associations was first held in Malaysia in 1979. When it began, it was intended primarily as a qualifying tournament for the final knock-out stages of the Malaysia Cup. It was not until 1982 that a League Cup was introduced to recognise the winners of the preliminary stage as the league champions. Over the years, the league competition has gained important stature in its own right.

Initially the only teams only allowed to participate in the league were the state FAs, teams representing the Armed Forces and the Police, and teams representing the neighbouring countries of Singapore and Brunei (though the Football Association of Singapore pulled out of the Malaysian League after the 1994 season following a dispute with the Football Association of Malaysia over gate receipts, and has not been involved since). In recent years, top Malaysian club teams have also been admitted to the league competition.

Between 1989 to 1993 and 1998 to 2003, the football league in Malaysia was divided into two levels:

Between 1994 to 1997, there was no second-level league as the top two leagues were combined.

Between 2004 to 2006, the professional football league in Malaysia was divided into two levels and two groups:

Between 2007 until now, the professional football league in Malaysia was only divided into two levels when Malaysia Premier League combined into one level:

Prior to the introduction of the current set-up, the top league competition in Malaysia was known as the Semi-Pro League (1989–93), and the M-League (1994–2003).

Pre-2004 Malaysian football league top-level champions

Year Champions
1979 Singapore Singapore FA
1980 Selangor Selangor FA
1981 Singapore Singapore FA
1982 Penang Penang FA
1983 Malacca Malacca FA
1984 Selangor Selangor FA
1985 Singapore Singapore FA
1986 Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory FA
1987 Pahang Pahang FA
1988 Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur FA
1989 Division 1: Selangor Selangor FA
1990 Division 1: Selangor Selangor FA
1991 Division 1: Johor Johor FA
1992 Division 1: Pahang Pahang FA
1993 Division 1: Kedah Kedah FA
1994 Singapore Singapore FA
1995 Pahang Pahang FA
1996 Sabah Sabah FA
1997 Sarawak Sarawak FA
1998 Premier 1: Penang Penang FA
1999 Premier 1: Pahang Pahang FA
2000 Premier 1: Selangor Selangor FA
2001 Premier 1: Penang Penang FA
2002 Premier 1: Perak Perak FA
2003 Premier 1: Perak Perak FA

Criticism

The Malaysia Super League has had its share of criticism throughout its history.

Radical position movements

With only eight teams in the league prior to the 2006-07 season, position movements were radical. Successive losses would condemn teams to a relegation dogfight. Similarly, successive wins would put a team in contention for the title. Notable examples include:

  • In 2005 season, Perak FA was rooted at the bottom of the table (with 12 points from 3 wins, 3 draws & 8 losses) after 14 rounds (which was already two-third of the season), relegation dangers seemed imminent back then. However, 6 straight wins that followed propelled them into direct contention for 2nd place with Pahang FA (the defending champions then) on the last day of the season. They eventually lost that game, but still finished in a respectable 3rd place.
  • In 2006 season, Selangor MPPJ was leading the table (with 21 points from 7 wins, 1 draw & 2 losses) after 10 rounds (which was almost half of the season), winning the title to follow up their famous victory in 2003 Malaysia Cup was certainly on the cards. However, 8 losses in a row subsequently left them in deep relegation troubles. Their place in the Super League Malaysia was only saved with 2 straight wins in the final rounds of the season. In the end they finished in a disappointing 5th place.

Constant format changes

The reasons given for the formation of the Malaysia Super League was the need to improve the standard of football in Malaysia. However, the Malaysia Super League was criticized by local press. Many called it a variation of the older M-League but with fewer teams in the top division. Many also disagreed with the fact that the league format changed almost annually and it is a problem which persists until today. The Malaysia Super League has gone through two format changes in its short history spanning three-years. The Football Association of Malaysia decided to expand the Super League Malaysia to accommodate 14 teams instead of 8, which was the number of league teams in the Super League's first three seasons.

From Super League Malaysia 2009 the league will have 14 teams, and all teams will play each other only twice (26 matches total). It was also decided that the teams will no longer feature any foreign players.

Foreign players

The professionalism of some teams have also been questioned. Most Malaysia Super League teams view foreign players as a necessity and as a result, most teams usually fill up their rosters with unknown foreigners. Teams usually sign foreigners based on their performances in pre-season trials. It is not uncommon for foreign players to be released after just two or three matches or be kept on the sidelines for an entire season.

The last case of unprofessional conduct involved Ivan Ziga, a Slovakian player who plays for Sarawak FA. Ivan Ziga claims his contract was terminated nine-months early without any explanation. He also claimed he was not paid. He took his plight to the Football Association of Malaysia but received no reply until Ivan Ziga threatened to take the case to FIFA.

Ivan Ziga's case is not uncommon in Malaysia, with most other cases involving African players who are either not paid or left stranded when their contracts are terminated early without any proper explanation given by teams.

Foreign players is coming back to Malaysia Super League starting from 2012 season onwards.

Champions

Since its inception in 2004, the Malaysia Super League title has seen 4 different teams become champions. Kedah FA becomes the first club that won the Super League Malaysia title back-to-back, in 2006-07 season and in 2007-08 season.

Astro Malaysia Super League is classified as the 18th league in Asian with a Grade D in the AFC Pro-League Ad-Hoc Committee Assessment Chart.

Season Champions Runners-Up 3rd Place
2004 Pahang Pahang FA Selangor Public Bank FC Perlis Perlis FA
2005 Perlis Perlis FA Pahang Pahang FA Perak Perak FA
2005-06 Negeri Sembilan Negeri Sembilan FA Malacca TM FC Perak Perak FA
2006-07 Kedah Kedah FA Perak Perak FA Brunei DPMM FC
2007-08 Kedah Kedah FA Negeri Sembilan Negeri Sembilan FA Johor Johor FC
2009 Selangor Selangor FA Perlis Perlis FA Kedah Kedah FA
2010 Selangor Selangor FA Kelantan Kelantan FA Terengganu Terengganu FA
2011 Kelantan Kelantan FA Terengganu Terengganu FA Selangor Selangor FA
2012

(For detailed information on a particular season, click on the season.)

M-League Champions

  • 1982 : Penang
  • 1983 : Melaka
  • 1984 : Selangor
  • 1985 : Singapore
  • 1986 : Federal Territory
  • 1987 : Pahang
  • 1988 : Federal Territory
  • 1989 : Selangor
  • 1990 : Selangor
  • 1991 : Johor
  • 1992 : Pahang
  • 1993 : Kedah
  • 1994 : Singapore
  • 1995 : Pahang
  • 1996 : Sabah
  • 1997 : Sarawak
  • 1998 : Penang
  • 1999 : Pahang
  • 2000 : Selangor
  • 2001 : Penang
  • 2002 : Perak
  • 2003 : Perak

Teams

A total of 14 teams will participate in the 2012 Malaysia Super League season.

Former teams

Malaysia Super League

Note: * TM FC pulled out from the 2007-08 Super League season due to concentrating on sponsoring the Malaysia Super League.

M-League

Players

Golden Boot Winners

Season Players Teams/Clubs Goals
1989 Malaysia Zainal Abidin Hassan Selangor Selangor FA 12
1990 Australia Alistair Edwards Singapore Singapore FA 13
1991 Australia Abbas Saad Johor Johor FA 11
1992 Malaysia Zainal Abidin Hassan Pahang Pahang FA 12
1993 Malaysia Mohd Hashim Mustapha Kelantan Kelantan FA 13
1994 Malaysia Mohd Hashim Mustapha Kelantan Kelantan FA 25
1995 Australia Scott Ollerenshaw Sabah Sabah FA 22
1996 Australia Scott Ollerenshaw Sabah Sabah FA 18
1997 Hungary Laszlo Repasi Perak Perak FA 19
1998 Russia Vyatcheslav Melnikov Pahang Pahang FA 17
1999 Malaysia Azman Adnan Penang Penang FA 13
2000 Malaysia Azizul Kamaluddin Pahang Pahang FA 12
2001 Malaysia Norizam Ali Hassan Perak Perak FA 13
2002 Malaysia Muhamad Khalid Jamlus Perak Perak FA 17
2003 Zambia Phillimon Chepita Perlis Perlis FA 23
2004 Malaysia Indra Putra Mahayuddin Pahang Pahang FA 15
2005 Brazil Julio Cesar Rodriguez
Zambia Zacharia Simukonda 		Sabah Sabah FA
Perlis Perlis FA 		18
2005-06 Indonesia Bambang Pamungkas Selangor Selangor FA 30
2006-07 Guinea Keita Mandjou
Brunei Awang Md Shahrazen Mohd Said 		Perak Perak FA
Brunei DPMM FC 		21
2007-08 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Marlon Alex James Kedah Kedah FA 23
2009 Malaysia Mohd Nizaruddin Yusof Perlis Perlis FA 18
2010 Malaysia Mohd Ashaari Shamsuddin Terengganu Terengganu FA 18
2011 Malaysia Abdul Hadi Yahya Terengganu Terengganu FA 20

Records

Below are the record of teams in Malaysian football competitions since 1921 till present.

Team Super League Malaysia Premier League Malaysia Malaysia FA Cup Malaysia Cup Malaysia Charity Shield AFC Cup AFC Champions League Total of Champion(s)
Selangor Selangor FA 7 (3) 2 5 (2) 32 (15) 8 (5) - (1) 54
Singapore Singapore FA 4 (2) - - 24 (19) 1 (1) - - 29
Kedah Kedah FA 3 (4) 3 3 (1) 4 (6) 2 (3) - - 15
Perak Perak FA 2 (1) (1) 2 (3) 7 (11) 3 - - 14
Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur FA 2 (3) - 3 (1) 3 (1) 3 (4) - - 11
Pahang Pahang FA 5 (4) - 1 (1) 2 (4) 2 (4) - - 10
Penang Penang FA 2 (2) - 1 (2) 4 (9) 1 - - 9
Johor Johor FA 1 (1) 1 1 2(1) 1 (2) - - 6
Perlis Perlis FA 1 (1) 1 (3) 2 (1) 2 (1) - - 6
Terengganu Terengganu FA (3) 2 2 (2) 1 (3) 1 (1) - - 6
Negeri Sembilan Negeri Sembilan FA 1 (1) 1 (1) 2 2 (2) (2) - - 5
Kelantan Kelantan FA 1 (1) 1 (2) 1(3) 1 - - 4
Sarawak Sarawak FA 1 - 1 (2) (1) 1 (1) - - 3
Selangor MPPJ FC - 1 - 1 1 - - 3
Sabah Sabah FA 1 (1) (1) 1 (3) (3) (1) - - 2
Malacca Malacca FA 1 - - - - - - 1
Brunei Brunei FA - - - 1 - - - 1
Federal Territories of Malaysia PDRM FA - 1 - - - - - 1
Johor Johor FC (1) 1 - - - - - 1
Selangor Public Bank FC (1) 1 - - - - - 1
Federal Territories of Malaysia ATM FA - - - (2) - - - -
Kedah Naza FC - 1 - - - - - 1
Selangor UPB MyTeam FC - (1) - - - - - -
Malacca TM FC (1) - - - - - - -
  • Table shows teams' wins in all competitions
  • Numbers in bracket shows runner-up finishes in competitions
  • Although the FA of Malaysia has not recognised retrospectively the league winners for 1979–1981, these are included for statistical comparison.
  • The figures in bold represent the most times this competition has been won by the team

See also

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