Foreign investments

Foreign sponsorship in Cambodian football continues unabated. In July 2009, the Cambodian football federation (FFC) joined forces with Vietnamese mobile telephone supplier Metfone in a sponsorship deal worth $1.5million over three years - that deal ends this year. For their money, Metfone got their name on the Cambodian Premier League as the exclusive sponsor as well as partnerships for the other competitions run by the federation. Before that, the FFC was bankrolled by a South Korean technology company. We wait to hear who will be the league's sponsors for next season. In the meantime, the FFC have announced a new sponsor, this time for the Cambodian national team, namely Thailand's largest sports equipment company called FBT (Football Thai Factory Sporting Goods), who will provide sponsorship to the tune of $65,000 a year for the next 4 years. Presumably they'll also chuck in a few new playing strips and tracksuits as part of the package. Isn't it sad that the Cambodian national team is sponsored by a private Thai company. That would suggest Cambodian companies have yet to be convinced that football is a worthwhile vehicle for their sponsorship dollars, or that the FFC have chosen to look outside the country's boundaries for their cash. Continuing the theme of sponsorship from outside the country, Preah Khan Reach have just announced a $100,000, one-year deal with a Vietnamese bank. The Saigon-Hanoi Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SHB) have decided to throw their weight behind the military police-backed club with money that will be used, according to the club's secretary, to buy equipment, food and to double the wages of the coach and his team.

PKR officials with their new sponsors including PKR's coach in blue

Amateurs cock-a-hoop

The PKR line-up that were beaten by the amateurs of SPA in the Malaysian FA Cup

The New Straits Times in Malaysia put Preah Khan Reach's defeat in the Malaysian FA Cup on Saturday into perspective. PKR went down 1-0 just after half-time to the third-tier team called Public Service Commission’s (SPA), who advanced to the quarter-finals of the competition for the very 1st time, where they will face Bojan Hodak's league leaders Kelantan over two legs. SPA are an amateur team and were cock-a-hoop after defeating the Cambodians, who fielded eight current internationals, and who fully expected to win. According to the NST: It’s a feat that as far as coach Mohd Nidzam Jamil is concerned almost amounted to being “a miracle”. “We’re all incredibly delighted especially to continue in the competition and at the same time create history,” said Nidzam after the match at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil. “We want to enjoy this (win) before thinking about Kelantan. What makes this so special is that we hold daily jobs and only train after work. Our priority, however, is to earn Premier League promotion and not the FA Cup but doing well in it is a bonus and added motivation.” Nidzam said the hard work and hours of training is the secret behind the club’s Cup run so far. “PKR are professionals and of course physically and technically they’re much better than us. What made the difference for us was simple motivation. My players showed character and their willingness to fight for 90 minutes paid dividends. Some of my players even suffered cramps in the final minutes of the match but I expected that to happen as we are an amateur side,” said Nidzam. PKR will return home to lick their wounds and get themselves prepared for their opening Metfone C-League encounter against Phnom Penh Crown on Wednesday 21 March.

Substantial backers

Interesting developments afoot at Preah Khan Reach, who are basking in the limelight after their Hun Sen Cup success on Sunday. It's emerged that the club has found substantial backing for the coming season from one of the new Vietnamese banks to open up offices in Phnom Penh recently, the SHB Bank, aka Saigon-Hanoi Commercial Joint Stock Bank. PKR are historically backed by the Military Police, and presumably the close ties between the armed forces and Vietnam have helped to sweeten this new sponsorship deal. Financial details hinted at suggest PKR will get $100,000 per year and a prod to engage foreign players once again. In the meantime, PKR are off to Malaysia for their first round tie against Penang AUCMS in four days time, in their first-ever venture into the Malaysian FA Cup competition. The word is that Penang, who play in the third tier in Malaysia, are up shit creek without a paddle having been relegated again and with financial woes, so PKR may just be in with a shout of success. Over at high-spending Naga Corp, who also have substantial backers in the shape of Nagaworld Hotel and entertainment hub, their team were introduced to the media recently as a part of opening celebrations for the hotel's new NagaRock. I had to smile when I read the publicity blurb that said; "As an avid supporter of youth & sports development, Nagaworld believes in inspiring the youth of Cambodia to dream big and work relentlessly towards their goals." They obviously forgot that their squad is the oldest, by a country mile, in the C-League and they've just signed four more experienced campaigners after their release from Phnom Penh Crown.

PKR compete in Malay

The Malaysian football federation have at last confirmed that Preah Khan Reach, the 3rd best team in last season's Metfone C-League and last term's Hun Sen Cup winners, will compete in the Malaysian FA Cup this coming season. They are due to play their first round match on 18 February, which falls right in the middle of the Hun Sen Cup in Phnom Penh, so there needs to be some accommodation there. Presumably the game will have to be played in Malaysia as well. PKR, also known as Royal Sword and backed by the Military Police, have had an affinity with the country over the last few years, playing a series of friendly games there. PKR are replacing the Harimau Muda B team (the country's U-19 squad who play in the domestic league) as they are involved in competitions in Singapore and Brunei that month. The other foreign team to take part in the Malaysian FA Cup next season will be the LionsXII (effectively their country's U-23 team) from Singapore. Just a snippet for your info: the winners of the Malaysian Super League stand to collect a tidy sum of $235,000 as champions this time around, whilst Phnom Penh Crown picked up a paltry $15,000 as Metfone C-League winners last season. Meanwhile, the top dogs in Thailand will get $315,000, in Vietnam, the champions earn $150,000 and in Singapore, $115,000.

PKR on the road

Preah Khan Reach - off on their travels to Malaysia?

If the Borneo Post newspaper is to be believed, C-League team Preah Khan Reach will be putting a team in the Malaysian M-League next season or maybe just their FA Cup competition - it's unclear from the newspaper's article - which would be a massive surprise to all, as well as a remarkably ambitious step forward for the Cambodian club, who've had an affinity with the country in the last few years. The Malaysian FA vice president Datuk Amin confirmed that an official announcement would come during the Asean Football Federation (AFF) meeting in Vientiane, Laos next week, after both FA's meet to finalise the details. The other foreign team to take part in the M-League and cup next season will be the Young Lions (effectively their country's U-23 team) from Singapore. Depending on whether PKR will be involved in the league or just the cup, and the effect that will have on the Metfone C-League remains very much up in the air as the news seems to have leaked out before anyone was ready for it, and the Borneo Post wasn't particularly clear on the details. The M-League ran from January to July this season, so that would impact big-time if PKR were to join their league competition. We'll await more details of this proposed move in the coming days.

Facebook phenomenon

The Facebook phenomenon is catching on...amongst players throughout the C-League clubs. One of the most prolific facebook posters is Preah Khan Reach and Cambodian national team striker Khuon Laboravy and the interest in online communication is spreading rapidly amongst his teammates and C-League colleagues. Other PKR players with a Facebook page include Chea Samnang, Prak Monyudom and Sam El Nasa, whilst Naga's Om Thavrak and Pok Chanthan have signed up. National teammates Thong Udom and Penh Pancharong have pages, whilst BBU have Chhun Sothearath, Heng Sokly, Prom Putsethy and Ung Marady online. Over at Phnom Penh Crown, Tieng Tiny was the first to join the Facebook revolution, closely followed by Khim Borey, Kouch Sokumpheak and Penh Bunchhay. Former C-League players now playing in Thailand also use Facebook to keep in touch. Keo Sokngon, Chan Rithy and Srey Veasna amongst them, as are Justine Uche Eke, Friday Nwakuna and Sani Saidu. Most of the players have posted photos of themselves and their teammates, team line-ups and so on. If you are a football fan in Cambodia it's worth logging in and taking a look.