Malaysia confident of hosting Challenge

30/10/2001

WHILE Malaysia are still waiting for an answer to host the Champions
Challenge on Dec 7-15, our 2002 Kuala Lumpur World Cup opening opponents
Australia are clocking in valuable match practices in Brussels.
Yesterday, coach Barry Dancer's men beat Belgium, who are in Group A of
the World Cup, as they continued their preparation for the Champions
Trophy.
The Champions Trophy begins in Rotterdam on Nov 3 and Australia will
play another match against Belgium today as a warm up.
The Malaysia Hockey Federation are confident that they will get to host
the Champions Callenge after India withdrew as hosts because most of the
countries involved are reluctant to play in India due to the proximity
with the Afghan war.
"I called the FIH today (yesterday) and they told me that a definite
answer can be expected by Wednesday. Right now, there is positive input
from FIH and we are confident of hosting the Champions Challenge here,"
said MHF secretary S. Satgunam yesterday.
Normally there is a hosting fee, around RM40,000 for the Champions
Challenge, paid to the FIH but since Malaysia are `helping out India' it
is likely that the fee will be waived.
"It is part of our proposal that the FIH waive the hosting fee. Right
now it looks like they are agreeable to our terms and if we get to host
the Champions Challenge, the Malaysian team will get good practice before
the World Cup," said Satgunam.
Seven of the eight teams participating in the Champions Challenge have
qualified for the 2002 World Cup and they are Argentina, Japan, Malaysia,
South Africa, Spain, Poland and India.
The top six finishers from the Sydney 2000 Olympics play in the
Champions Trophy, which was shifted from Lahore to Rotterdam for the same
reason, and the 7-12th play in the Champions Challenge.
The winner of the Champions Challenge will be promoted to the Champions
Trophy while the sixth placed team in the Champions Trophy will be
relegated to the Champions Challenge in the next edition.
In the match against Belgium yesterday, the Kookaburras were one-down by
the 20th minute but vice-captain Brent Livermore had an excellent game in
his 100th international match, and Junior World Cup standout Liam De Young
made his international debut count.
In an even first half both teams built counter attacks, with Belgium the
only team to sound the board. The home team opened scoring in the 20th
minute when their central striker F.G Coudron deflected the ball past
advancing goalkeeper Mark Hickman.
Australia dominated the second half to make some excellent
opportunities, Livermore, and inside forward Adam Commens featuring
strongly in the midfield.
Australia created 29 circle penetrations to Belgiums 11, and had eight
shots on goal to the home teams three for the match, the visitors scoring
twice from the field and once from a penalty corner variation in the
second half to win the match three goals to one, reports Hockey Australia.
Meanwhile, the Malaysia Hockey Federation Management Committee met
yesterday in Kuala Lumpur to get first hand information from coach Yahya
Atan on what happened in Hobart.
Malaysia ended 12th in the 16-team Junior World Cup in Tasmania and the
MHF want to get to the bottom of things fast.
"This was an informal meeting where Yahya briefed us verbally on what
happened in Hobart. The MHF want to find out what went wrong," said
Satgunam.
The MHF are out to find out why the Juniors struggled against Scotland,
Chile and South Africa in the classification matches, so that they can
formulate a blueprint for a better future.
* jugjet@nstp.com.my
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