Reputations don't count

11/08/2002

MALAYSIA Sports School are on a high, and coach V. Muraleedharan is afraid
that it might work against them in the MHF-Milo-Admral-NSC Junior League
final at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil today.
The Junior League debutants displayed electrifying form to black out
League Champions Tenaga Nasional Bhd and, naturally, the boys feel
unbeatable at the moment.
"I have my hands full trying to bring them down to earth because they
are still in a daze after making the final," said Muraleedharan.
Malaysia Sports School started off the JHL badly when they were held 2-2
in their first match by Seberang Prai Municipal Council, who also beat the
other finalist Telekom Pahang 1-0 in Kuantan in the League.
The only `motivation' Muraleedharan can give his boys is that they lost
3-1 to Telekom Pahang in their League encounter.
"I told them not to get overconfident because we lost to them even with
a full side in the League. For the final, we will not have five players
who can be considered as pillars in the team."
The entire Malaysia SS penalty corner battery, made up of S. Selvaraju,
Mohamed Fakhrulrazi and Mohamed Fikri Bassar, will not see action in the
final.
Selvaraju was benched for the remainder of the JHL when he picked up a
red card against Anderson in a League match. Although a red card normally
means a two-match suspension, Malaysia SS decided to bench him for the
entire JHL as a disciplinary measure.
Fakhrulrazi and Fikri are with the national team and will only arrive at
the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 5pm today and the likelihood of
them playing in the final is slim.
"Zaidi Zainuddin, our best marker, will also not play in the final as he
was suspended for two matches after the first leg of the semi-finals and
Mohamed Shamsul, our striker, has gone home because his sister was
involved in an accident.
"But Malaysia Sports School do not depend on stars and we play as a
team, so I am not unduly worried playing without the five players," said
Muraleedharan.
Goalkeeper Ahmad Bazli Razali, who saved two penalty strokes in the
first leg semi-finals, and then robbed Tenaga of a 10th minute goal in the
second leg, will have to bring out his best again as Telekom are well
known for speedy breakaways.
On paper, Telekom look the better side but Malaysia SS have proven, by
eliminating Tenaga, that reputations don't count - teamwork does.
(END)