KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor captain Faisal Halim is expected to be sidelined until at least January as he continues his recovery from a severe muscle tear.
Selangor chief executive officer Dr Johan Kamal Hamidon said that while the 27-year-old winger's recovery was progressing well, he required another two to three months of rehabilitation before resuming training.
"Mickey's recovery is looking positive, but he still has about two to three months to go because the muscle tear was quite severe," Johan said.
Asked if a return next year was likely, Johan said: "Maybe. January would be a safe start date, a safe return date, for him."
The lengthy layoff deals a blow to the Red Giants' campaign, ruling the national star out of key fixtures.
Johan praised Faisal's commitment and leadership off the pitch, noting that he remained a motivating presence in the dressing room.
"Of course, Faisal is an extremely important player for us who inspires everyone, including the squad, the fans, and the club," Johan said.
"He never gives up. He comes to the training centre every day to continue his rehabilitation with the team and travels with the squad on matchdays.
"As captain, he has carried out his duties exceptionally well. While we miss his presence on the pitch, his involvement and off-field influence have arguably been even stronger in driving his teammates to deliver their best."
Selangor are also exploring compensation through FIFA's Club Protection Programme (CPP) after Faisal sustained the injury while on international duty with Malaysia.
The scheme compensates clubs for a player's basic salary if they suffer temporary total disablement during a senior "A" international window and remain sidelined for more than 28 consecutive days.
Johan said the club were reviewing documentation from world football's governing body to confirm eligibility and file a claim.
"We understand that the club may be eligible for compensation, but we are still reviewing it," Johan said.
"If the injury exceeds 28 days, there is a possibility for us to receive compensation from FIFA. That is something we are actively exploring at the moment."
Johan said the club began looking into the process after receiving a recent circular outlining the regulations.
"We saw a circular they published recently, so we are looking into it. The mechanism does exist, and we appear eligible," he said.
"It will reimburse the salary, but there are specific criteria. We are currently ensuring that we have all the necessary medical documents and fulfil every requirement laid out by FIFA for players injured during the FIFA calendar or in Grade A international matches."
Under CPP regulations, payouts start on the 29th day of continuous incapacitation and are capped at €20,548 (RM105,000) a day for up to 365 days.
The scheme covers contracted basic wages, while medical costs and performance bonuses remain the club's responsibility.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd