German coach Lissek agrees to remain as consultant

01/01/1999

PAUL Lissek has agreed to continue as consultant to chart the future of
Malaysian hockey.
"Although his contract ended after the Commonwealth Games, the NSC feel
that hockey is one of the sports which requires the assistance of a
foreign coach, so we re-hired him," said National Sports Council director-
general Datuk Mazlan Ahmad yesterday.
With the German coach still in the picture, Stephen van Huizen is
expected to revert to a stand-in role.
Van Huizen, who was promoted to coach the Asian Games team in Bangkok
last month, had played second fiddle to foreign coaches since Terry
Walsh's days in 1988.
When Walsh left in 1992, van Huizen was the stand-in coach for a few
months before Volker Knapp took over. Van Huizen was again relegated to
assistant coach.
After Knapp's contract ended last May, van Huizen assisted Lissek in
preparing the team for the Commonwealth Games, where Malaysia reached the
final.
Mazlan said he has not made any decision on van Huizen's problem with
his employers, the Bank of Commerce.
"But NSC are keen to have van Huizen around as he is the most capable
coach to carry out Lissek's blueprint," said Mazlan.
Prior to the Asian Games, Mazlan said he had promised van Huizen a two-
year contract regardless of the outcome.
"It's only fair to give the coach some time before judging his
performance. After all, we gave Knapp four years to prove himself and when
we were not satisfied with his performance, we did not renew his contract.
"Similarly, we will have to give Stephen some time ... at least two
years."
Lissek was to have returned to prepare Malaysia for the Asian Games but
after Germany's poor showing at the Champions' Trophy in Lahore, the
German Hockey Federation told Lissek to spend more time with the team.
Germany finished last Lahore.
"We consider ourselves lucky because Lissek has agreed to spend some
time with our boys although he has a tight schedule with the German side."
When Lissek is around, the players seem to give their best. S. Kuhan
found out the hard way that the German coach does not believe in history.
As part of his preparation for the World Cup, Kuhan was told to execute
at least 100 penalty corner flicks a day after national training session.
He scored six goals, and all came from penalty corners in the World Cup
qualifiers in Kuala Lumpur last March.
An when he could not maintain 100 flicks a day for the Commonwealth
Games training, Kuhan was told to step aside by Lissek.
(END)