KUALA LUMPUR: Football pundit Datuk Richard Scully has called for an overhaul of the M-League schedule, labelling it "a mess" and urging the Malaysian Football League (MFL) to address issues that he says are impacting clubs' performance.
"The MFL must address these shortcomings, as it's affecting the clubs," said Scully. "There must be a Plan B for everything. Some teams have extended breaks, while others don't, so where is the consistency? It's a professional league, and things should be better."
Scully warned that poor scheduling and inadequate rest periods can hurt player performance.
"When you rest for too long, you can't come back and expect to perform at the same level. Consistent performance requires continuity, but with the current scheduling, it's a mess."
He pointed to Harimau Malaya's recent drop in the FIFA rankings from No. 132 to No. 133, suggesting that league issues might be partly to blame for the national team's decline.
"If you want to raise the benchmark, you need to do something different. Right now, it's just the same old story."
Scully also criticised the MFL for not taking weather conditions into account when planning matches.
"We may not have snow, but we do have rain and floods. Why aren't these factors being considered? The league needs to adapt.
"If things continue like this, fans will start asking questions, and it won't be good for the industry. It's high time for the MFL to get serious."
He called for a comprehensive review of league management, particularly in scheduling and player welfare.
"The concerned parties must brainstorm and find solutions to these issues before it's too late."
Fans have also expressed frustration over MFL's delay in releasing the Malaysia Cup fixtures.
The MFL explained that it is waiting on the outcome of the Super League match between Perak and Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT), which has been rescheduled twice due to poor weather and pitch conditions.