Yahya's the man until NSC-MHF decide on pair

21/01/1999

THE Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) have yet to endorse his appointment
as national coach but it looks like Yahya Atan will have to cut short his
Hari Raya holidays today.
While the MHF and the National Sports Council play cat-and-mouse, 50
national trainees will begin their centralised training at the National
Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
Team manager R. Yogeswaran confirmed that Yahya will be at the stadium
to put the players through their paces today.
"Since MHF and NSC have yet to come to terms on the national coach for
the seniors, it looks like Yahya will have to play the role," said
Yogeswaran.
Twenty-four senior players are down for the Five-Nation tournament in
Egypt on Feb 2 while the Project 2001 players will head for Perth a day
later on a playing tour.
With time running out for both the teams, and the MHF-NSC meetings
heading nowhere, Yahya has been thrust into the limelight.
After much dithering by MHF and NSC, Stephen van Huizen and Colin sta
Maria, whose contracts with the national squads ended after the Asian
Games, were told to go back to work last week.
"Like it or not, the situation is such that Yahya is the best man and I
am prepared to assist and make his workload lighter," said Yogeswaran, a
former national coach.
Although NSC were willing to hire van Huizen and sta Maria as part-time
coaches, meetings with their employers Bank of Commerce, were
inconclusive.
Yahya, who works with Risda, had no such problems.
On the three players who are contemplating skipping the Egypt and Dubai
tours because of studies, Yogeswaran sees this as a blessing in disguise.
He said their absence could open the door to the Project 2001 players
who are touring with the seniors.
"By the time the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup begins in April, we should have
the best possible national team out of the 50 trainees," said Yogeswaran.
The possible absentees are Mirnawan Nawawi, Maninderjit Singh and K.
Keevan Raj.
"The MHF made a wise move when they decided to allow overlapping between
the senior and junior teams. With this move, the problem of player
shortages no longer exists. We have a big pool to choose from."
(END)