Football Coaches Association of Malaysia president B Sathianathan is ready to debate with Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim on national football.

The former national football coach said this may lead to something good.

"It's a good suggestion. I will accept (the challenge) if that is the best way to restore pride in (national) football," Sathianathan told Malaysiakini today.

Tunku Ismail, who owns the Johor football team, in a Facebook posting last night challenged Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin to a debate on the performance of the national football team.

Besides Khairy, the crown prince also challenged Football Association of Malaysia national football coach Ong Kim Swee, national football development programme director Lim Teong Kim and Sathianathan to join in the debate, which he hoped Astro would telecast.

This was after the youth and sports minister took a swipe at local players, blaming them for the decline in Malaysia's football ranking.

Sathianathan said he hoped the others would also accept the debate invitation.

"Since I became a coach in 1992 until now, we have only talked a lot.

"We have to find a formula on how we want to make the results of the debate a reality.

"We should debate on the positive things and facts, and we take that and do something. We have to remember that after the debate, it must be followed by comprehensive action," he added.