May 10, 2007	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 22, 1428

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9: Malaysian Manchester United fans voiced anger and disappointment on Wednesday after a tour match featuring the newly crowned Premier League champions was cancelled.

Fans branded the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) “selfish” for pressuring Asian Cup co-hosts Malaysia to call off the match scheduled for July 27 -- two days before the tournament's final.

Malaysian football bosses last year signed an agreement not to promote other matches during the Asian Cup, the region's premier football tournament.

But fans hit out at the cancellation, which robs Malaysia of its first Manchester United match since 2001. “I feel very disappointed. I was hoping to get a close-up view of the Red Devils who have a huge fan base in Malaysia,” N. Gananathan, a 41-year-old fan, told AFP. “I think AFC is being selfish for asking FAM to cancel United's rare trip,”he said.

Gananathan added that the match would not attract fans away from the Asian Cup, as the AFC fears.

Frederick Fernandez, senior writer with the Star newspaper, said he had been looking forward to the United game. “I had made plans to watch the Red Devils in action especially Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney with my two nephews,” he said.

The New Straits Times newspaper also attacked Hammam, who called on Manchester United to call off their tour altogether.

“The AFC has also got to realise that no matter what it does, the fans can't be forced into the stadiums unless the quality of play is top-notch,” it said.

Lawrence How, president of Malaysia's Manchester United Fan Club, said he understood supporters' unhappiness.

“I am not surprised that they are upset. You must remember many of the fans cannot afford to visit Old Trafford to watch United play,” he said.

Manchester United have also arranged matches in Macau, Japan and South Korea during their Asian tour which was due to end in Malaysia.—AFP