Lissek: Physically they are at the peak

14/01/2002

THE national hockey trainees have reached their maximum level in fitness,
so from here on, their conditioning will be tapering down for the 2002
Kuala Lumpur World Cup on Feb 24 to March 9.
Chief coach Paul Lissek said: "We have been whipping them into shape
after they got whipped in the Azlan Shah Cup in August and they have
reached a level where they cannot improve anymore - physically that is.
"If we still keep pushing them further, they will only get injured. So,
right now, we will go into the toning down stage and the priority will be
tactics and brushing up individual skills," said Lissek before the team
went for a two-day break.
With S. Kuhan on the injured list, the burden on penalty corners now
lies on the shoulders of Maninderjit Singh, Chua Boon Huat and Jiwa Mohan.
The trio have been working alongside Kuhan and the transition is expected
to be a smooth one.
Malaysia open their Six-Nation campaign on Friday against Japan, but
before that there are the two Test matches against Pakistan on Tuesday and
Wednesday.
The Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) have decided to play the two
matches as Tests because of their bad experience with Argentina when they
named the two matches before the Champions Challenge as friendlies.
"We arranged everything for the two matches against Argentina and even
named a standby umpire and three technical officials but the Argentines
took to field with sleeveless T-shirts and they did not even supply us
with the team list.
"So for the Pakistan matches, we have decided to give it a Test status
and the results will count for international ranking," said MHF Secretary
S. Satgunam.
The last time Malaysia met Pakistan was in the Azlan Shah Cup and the
narrow 4-3 defeat margin is seen as an encouraging sign. In the Sydney
2000 Olympics, Malaysia held Pakistan to a 2-2 draw.
Germany (5-1) and Australia (7-1) whipped Malaysia at the Azlan Shah Cup
and are back for the Six-Nation and how we fare against them this week
will show how much we have improved since August last year.
So the two Test matches before the Six-Nation will be the first step for
Malaysia's crucial build-up to the World Cup. Tickets for the Six-nation
is RM5 and RM10 while entrance for the Test matches is free.
Test - Tuesday: Malaysia v Pakistan (8pm, Bukit Jalil); Wednesday:
Malaysia v Pakistan (8pm, Bukit Jalil)
SIX-NATION: Friday: Australia v New Zealand (4.05pm), Japan v Malaysia
(6.05), Pakistan v Holland (8.05); Saturday: New Zealand v Holland (6.05),
Japan v Australia (8.05); Sunday: Malaysia v Pakistan (6.05).
Jan 21: Pakistan v Japan (4.05), New Zealand v Malaysia (6.05), Holland
v Australia (8.05); Jan 22: Japan v Holland (6.05); Jan 23: Australia v
Malaysia (6.05), Pakistan v New Zealand (8.05); Jan 24: Holland v Malaysia
(4.05), New Zealand v Japan (6.05), Australia v Pakistan (8.05).
Jan 25: REST DAY.
Jan 26: 5th-6th classification (4.05), 3rd-4th classification (5.35),
Final (8.05).
jugjet@nstp.com.my
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