KUCHING: Sarawak football fans are rather disappointed that home matches for the state team are scheduled at 4.15pm due to poor conditions of both stadiums.
EMPTY STADIUM: Supporters are not coming for the home matches because they are played in the afternoon.
It is unavoidable for the Football Association of Sarawak (FAS) to hold the matches in the evenings and risk losing home support as the stadium’s flood lights meant for the night matches do not comply with FAM’s regulations.
Regulations stipulate that flood lights of any stadium to organise matches for the Malaysian League must be at least 800 luxs at the very minimum but the Sarawak stadium can only produce 400 luxs and apart from that, only two thirds (2/3) of the state stadium’s floodlight bulbs are functioning.
“This will cause lots of inconvenience for our supporters coming to watch the Croc’s home matches as playing at that time (4.15pm) is too early and overlap with office hours and work commitments. This will put off many fans,” said Hairul Faezee, general manager of Sarawak Football Die Hard Fans (Sadiehaf) yesterday.
He also said that by depriving supporters attendance at the stadium and their support to our Crocs players, will defeat home ground advantage as supporters are linked to play as the 12th man on the field and form part of the scary factor for the visiting teams.
Hairul also noted that the poor maintenance and the filling of sand on muddy areas of the pitch as substandard where a more efficient method should be used to prepare for the Croc’s first home match against Bukit Jalil B on February 11.
According to FAS, tender is already given out to fix the floodlights and hopefully, the stadium will be fit to hold night matches before the season ends.
“Fans need to pay RM7 for the terrace seating and RM10 to sit at the grandstand. Even the entrance and the seats are rather uncomfortable in both seating areas,” said Hairul adding further that the toilets are unhygienic with several cubicles not in functioning order.
However it is understood that the Sarawak stadium is in the midst of repairs and renovations even though the 2011 Premier League kicks off today. (Jan 31)
As FAS is the biggest client for the stadium board, it is saddening to note that no extra effort is implemented by the board to comply with the requirements of FAM in at least one of their stadiums which could well be the determinant factor to draw back the crowd and return Sarawak’s glory in football.