The Milo 16th RSC Under-12 International Soccer 7s 2018 and Tiger 18th RSC International Soccer 7s 2018 this weekend at the Royal Selangor Club, Bukit Kiara Annexe is expected to be a fun-filled football carnival with strategic changes to see an elevation of the status of the tournament.
The tournament which has become permanent feature in the Malaysian football calendar although organised by a private club, it has grown over the teams to become a prestigious tournament not only in the region but internationally too.
The long standing history of both the Junior tournament for Under-12 age- group, as well as the veteran tournaments, has not only seen it grown in popularity, but the organisation level is truly professional and sets higher bars each year.
Newly elected RSC football convenor for the current term, Solomon Lourdes Raj has promised to unveil some significant changes in the tournament.
“The Football Committee and organising committee headed by Sri Rajini Kanth, have made gallant efforts to make strategic changes in this year’s tournament, blending ideas from their corporate life experiences to enhance and add a new dimension in our undertakings this year.
“These positive changes will be visible to all our participants this year to make their experience in competing in this year’s tournament to observe and experience these positive changes to make their participation one to be remembered and cherished.”
Organising chairman Sri Rajini added: “The primary objective of this tournament is to foster fellowship through a friendly yet competitive environment.”
The tournament will see three categories competed – the Under-12, Masters (40 years above with three players allowed 35 years above) and Grand Masters (50 years above and an exception of three players 45 above)
There are total of 16 teams in the Under-12 category, 16 in the Masters and 12 in the Grand Masters.
On Tuesday, at the Press Conference at the Royal Selangor Club in Dataran to announce the tournament, among the guest present were Malaysian Football Coaches Association president, B. Satianathan, FA of Malaysia General Secretary, Stuart Ramalingam, former Asian Football Confederation general secretary Datuk Peter Vellappan and ex-internationals Datuk Santokh Singh, Datuk N. Thanabalan, Vincent Thambyrajah and Ho Hon Seong.
Also present from RSC were their vice-president Sylvester Devaraj, Sports chairman Jimi Low and Francis Yew, the consultant from sponsor, Heineken.
Satianathan his speech said; “Grassroots development is an investment. While many State FAs and clubs shun away from grassroots developing giving excuses saying it is expensive, I am glad that a private club like RSC is serious about development and even have their own Junior Soccer Development Programme (JSDP), which has been running for 15 years.
“This certainly augurs well for the future of Malaysian football and I sincerely hope for more clubs and football academies to give their total commitment to establish programmes like these.
“But we need quality coaches at the grassroots level and hope more coaches get their licences. FA of Malaysia is introducing the G Licence (grassroots coaching licence) and that is a starter course for budding coaches can attend before they venture for higher level licences.”
Datuk Peter added: “Football is a life long journey on and off the field and the starting point is through junior football programmes like this RSC development programme.”
Among the players from the JSPD who have graduated to play at the higher level include the likes of Paul Gan (first player from the JSPD to play for KL President Cup team and went on to play for the KL team in the M-League), Nick Wee (played for Malaysia Harimau Muda this year and PJ Rangers and MOF in the FAM Cup, Daniel Ong for MOF, Davidson Tan for KL Premier League team, Akmal Eshan in Piala Belia and Sunil Chandran for PKNS in Piala Belia too.
The tournament this weekend will kick-off on Saturday morning at 9am with the opening ceremony and the tournament declared open by Datuk Seri Abdul Azim Mohd Zabidi, the deputy president of Olympic Council of Malaysia and Jakarta/Palembang Asian Games Chef de Mission.
The two-day tournament will culminate with the finals on Sunday afternoon.
Among the highlights of the tournament besides the many ex-internationals and former State players playing in the veteran categories, the Under-12 tournament will see two all-girls compete – Supergirls Subang Jaya and Golden Dream Team Circuit FC from Singapore. Defending champions of this category – 1st Touch Assumption from Penang – will also be competing.
UNDER 12 Teams
1. RSC Harimau
2. Swan District Pemuda Brickfields
3. Maldives Soccer Mates
4. Football Plus Medan
5. CIMB YFA
6. Bintang Baru
7. Ist Touch Assumption
8. Subang Jaya Community Soccer
9. Golden Dream Team Circuit FC
10. Supergirls Subang Jaya
11.KD Remaja Harimau Klang
12.Titan United Futbol Academy
13.Destiny FC
14.KB Remaja Shah Alam
15.Akademi PKNS FC
16.AB Pro Harimau Remaja Ampang
MASTERS
1. Merata FC
2. MICAH6:8 FC (Spore)
3. Club X (Spore)
4. KASIKKORBANK (Thailand)
5. Penang Sports Club
6. Royal Selangor Club
7. Samba FC
8. TM Jones – Delima FC
9. Quantum Modern Wariors India
10.ADE – H&A
11.Circuit FC
12.South City River Iron GFC
13.Maldives Soccer Mates
14.Klang Lama Masters
15.KL Galaxy
16.Malaysian Grasshoppers
GRAND MASTERS
1. MICAH6:8 FC (Singapore)
2. KLM (Holland)
3. KASIKKORBANK (Thailand)
4. Royal Selangor Club
5. TM Jones A
6. Harimau Mega FC Johor
7. Club X (Singapore)
8. Club SC Malacca
9. Poly Singapore
10.TM Jones B
11.Malaysian Veteran Football Association
12.PJL FC
