KUALA LUMPUR – With the disbandment of Petaling Jaya City FC in 2022, several of their former players are thriving in the A1 Semi-Pro League.
PJ City, once a top-performing team in the Super League, withdrew due to concerns about the restructured Malaysian Football League not aligning with the club’s goals, particularly the increased foreign import quota.
Despite competing with only local players, PJ City consistently provided a strong challenge in the Super League, finishing in the top half of the table for three consecutive seasons. The club also served as a key player hub for the national team, with several players regularly representing the Harimau Malaya.
Following the disbandment, several former PJ City players have found success in the A1 Semi-Pro League, including R. Kogileswaran, K. Kannan, M. Tamilmaran, D. Kugan, Sunil Chandran, K. Gurusamy, K. Thivandaran, Khyril Muhymeen Zambri and K. Prabakaran. These players are now plying their trade with Bunga Raya Damansara FC.
Speaking exclusively to Scoop, Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal, who was PJ City president, said that many of the players in the club were still developing, and he hoped to see them playing for bigger clubs in future.
“I think these boys are passionate about the game, and I wish them well. They are doing really well, especially as they are doing what they love the most. Many of them are still youngsters and still developing, such as Sunil. They are good players and can go far.
“Tamil and Kugan are also a few to be mentioned, and I really hope that some bigger clubs can look into the potential of bringing them on board. I hope some of the big names will give them a chance to play in the years to come,” said Subahan.
Bunga Raya Damansara, with their home ground being the UM Arena Stadium, currently rank top in the A1 League, which has a total of 15 teams vying for promotion to next season’s Super League.
The top two teams will enter the playoffs to determine which teams will qualify for promotion to the 2025-26 Super League season, while the bottom two teams will be relegated to the A2 League. – June 21, 2024