Malaysia lack players with grey matter

23/10/2001

SO what separated the top eight from the bottom eight at the Junior World
Cup in Tasmania?
As the dust settled and all the teams are either on their way back home
or have taken a few days off to rest and recuperate at this southern
hemisphere island, the question burns a bigger hole than the ozone
depletion suffered by this region.
What was clear to the layman is that the top teams seems to be more
intelligent than the bottom eight, in terms of keeping their cool and
making a pass to the right person at the right time. They did not need an
IQ of 144 to do that, but being street wise was a good start.
Some of the coaches, like Rajinder Singh of India and Alejandro Verga of
Argentina also believe they rode on Lady Luck as well. And to some extent,
they were lucky, but luck only sides those who are intelligent enough to
see an opening and make full use of it.
In the 11th-12th classification matches, Malaysia were lucky to take a
three-goal lead but rode out on their luck as stupidity crept in and lost
in the end.
Having lots of money, and elaborate preparations which included jet-
setting to foreign countries for friendlies and hosting big tournaments at
home will not guarantee success, as Malaysia, New Zealand and a host of
other countries in the bottom eight found out.
Argentina played with their hearts, even though they knew very well that
the "Soccer Gods" back home will get all the prime time on television and
hog the headlines in the newspapers. The lack of money hampered their
preparation and they could not play as many matches as they would have
liked before the Junior World Cup.
So when they arrived, nobody paid them any notice. But all that changed
as the first round ended because everybody wanted to know their secret.
And they had none to tell, except for the hunger in their eyes. They
were hungry to make a name and they went home with their heads high and
household names among the hockey loving fraternity in the world.
"We had very little money to spend on this team, so when we selected the
best out of the pool we had, I told them that going to Hobart might seem
like a holiday for most teams, but for you guys, it is the future. If you
play well, people will remember you. And if you finish at the bottom,
nobody will even remember that Argentina took part in the 2001 Junior
World Cup three month's from now.
"They knew what the stakes were, and they did not let the country down,"
said Verga.
When the Argies come to Kuala Lumpur in February next year, let's hope
they still have that hunger in their eyes, because if they do, they will
be good for another upset.
Holland, Spain and Germany went home from Hobart nursing their wounds
and to some extent their egos because their hockey - boring but result-
oriented - took a beating to the entertaining Indian style.
Entertaining hockey took a back seat after the artificial pitch was
introduced and the worse hit were India and Pakistan. But it looks like
the old style only needed intelligent players to reap results.
Ask Argentina, they will vouch for it. Ask Malaysia, they will not have
a clue.
Final standings: 1 India, 2 Argentina, 3 Germany, 4 England, 5 Spain, 6
Australia, 7 South Korea , 8 Holland , 9 New Zealand, 10 France, 11 South
Africa, 12 Malaysia, 13 Scotland, 14 Ireland ,15 Chile, 16 Canada. jugjet@nstp.com.my
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