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| New Straits Times |
This was the case in Malaysia recently when a goalkeeper named Ahmad Sharbinee Allawee lost his job on the Terengganu team after scoring an own-goal against Kedah in a Malaysian Cup match on September 1. Allawee has been accused of scoring the goal in his own net on purpose and now wants the chance to clear his name.
Allawee is a former goalie of the Malaysian national team and he was pulled out of the game by team manager Peter Butler immediately after letting in the goal when he fumbled a corner kick. The game with Kedah then ended in a 1-1 tie.
The furious Butler wasn’t happy with the goal or Allawee and he pushed the goalie in the back as he left the field. After the game the manager said he doesn’t need any players like Allawee on his team and he won’t be playing for the club anymore. He added that he only wants honest players on the pitch and those who put in a real effort.
Allawee said he’s looking forward to being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission since he didn’t do anything wrong other than make a bad play and he’s got nothing to hide from them.
He stated that he wants to clear his name and is saddened that he’s been called corrupt. The goalkeeper added that he’s embarrassed when he goes out in public after making bad plays, but it’s even worse now because he’s being accused of fixing the match.
The goalie threw a water bottle at his manager Butler after being pulled from the game and said he just snapped because he was so humiliated.
He said he doesn’t mind being criticized by his manager for poor play, but it should be done in the dressing room not on the field. He admits to losing his temper after Butler swore at him and that’s why he threw a water bottle at him.
Moving on to another soccer club was acceptable to Allawee as he said if the team doesn’t want him anymore he’ll move on, but he said he wants to clear his name first. He said he loves being a member of Terengganu and doesn’t want to leave the team under these circumstances.
He said he’ll wait and see what the Terengganu president decides before making his next move. The president said he’ll be meeting with club management shortly to try and solve the issue.
Butler, who used to play in England with West Bromwich Albion and West Ham, is trying to rid Malaysian soccer of corruption and indiscipline. Just a week earlier, he got rid of two veteran players who allegedly broke a team curfew.
Both players deny the accusations and are demanding that Butler apologizes to them and reinstates them. However, Butler seems to be serious when it comes to cleaning up the game as he said Allawee made his own bed when he put the ball into his own net and he won’t play for the club again as long as he’s the manager.
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