KUALA LUMPUR – Newly appointed Malaysian Football League (MFL) chief executive officer Giorgio Pompili Rossi insists that this administration will not rush into implementing changes in the Malaysian football league.
Giorgio, who replaced Datuk Stuart Ramalingam earlier this month, said that he intends to change the way clubs are sanctioned when they fail to comply with the Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.
MFL previously introduced FFP this season to address financial issues which have affected several clubs in the league over the years. Among the sanctions under the FFP rules are transfer bans and point deductions.
The 34-year-old Italian, who is on a four-year contract, said that his administration may introduce the concept of a salary cap, similar to what is practised in European leagues such as La Liga and Serie A.
“We need to re-analyse the current models and improvise. For now, we can’t make any changes because it’s too late – the season has already started. Changes will be implemented next season.
“The current models are not the solution because the same issues keep coming back,” Giorgio said when met after a meet-and-greet session in Petaling Jaya today.
It has been reported that Sri Pahang FC, Perak FC, Sabah FC, and Kedah FC have been struggling with salary arrears since the Super League campaign started.
At the same time, there have also been incidents where several players from Sri Pahang reacted on social media by criticising their employers.
Most recently, some first-team players from Kedah went on strike, refusing to attend training sessions after the management failed to pay off salaries that had been overdue for almost six months.
“People can’t expect immediate change. I need the cooperation and support from all the clubs to achieve the needed changes.
“Given time, I believe the problems can be solved. I will meet all the clubs, especially those in the Super League, to share my plans,” Giorgio added.
Giorgio’s illustrious career started in 2013 as a business and sales agent for Serie A clubs before he joined Spanish giants Valencia.
In 2017, he became La Liga’s delegate to Malaysia, where he played a pivotal role in boosting the Spanish league’s brand and fan base in the country.
From 2021 until his recent appointment, Giorgio expanded his influence as La Liga’s delegate in Thailand, covering Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. – September 13, 2024