MHF bars 28 trainees from JHL

25/12/2002

THE Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF), wiser after this season's bungle,
have named 28 national trainees who will not be allowed to play in the
Junior Hockey League (JHL) starting on Feb 7.
Tenaga Nasional Bhd were left fuming after two of their star players
were plucked by MHF to attend Tests in China even though the JHL had
entered its crucial stages.
"The juniors named among the 28 trainees will not be eligible to play in
the JHL, that is why we decided to name the national trainees early and
avoid complications at a later date," said MHF secretary S. Satgunam.
The MHF listed 28 players and five reserves for the national team
preparing for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in March and among them were eight
juniors who will have to give the JHL a skip.
The eight are Megat Azrafiq, Mohamed Sallehhin, Mohamed Anwar, Engku
Malek, Mohamed Suppian, Ismail Abu, Mohamed Fakhrulradzi and Shahrun
Nabil.
SMK Padang Midin of Terengganu, who finished second in the just-
concluded champions schools, have contributed their skipper Mohamed
Shahrun Nabil to national training.
Shahrun, 19, will have the distinction of following in the footsteps of
the oldest current national player Chairil Anwar, 31, - who is also from
Terengganu.
Making a comeback for national duty is Nor Azlan Bakar who decided to
rest after the Kuala Lumpur World Cup in March and missed the Busan Asian
Games bronze medal.
With Nor Azlan's return, the backline will be further strenghtened and
the burden will be less on K. Gobinathan and S. Kuhan.
Even though Nor Azlan Bakar was away from the national team for a long
period, he was still named among the trainees while the other players who
took a break from hockey but decided to make a comeback have been placed
on the reserves list for the Azlan Shah Cup.
Jiwa Mohan, Tajol Rosli and K. Logan Raj will have to prove to national
coach Paul Lissek that they have been keeping themselves fit while
studying if they want a shot at the Azlan Shah Cup.
THE NATIONAL TRAINEES - Goalkeepers: Roslan Jamaluddin, S. Kumar,
Mohamed Hanifi Hassan; Defenders: S. Kuhan, K. Gobinathan, Madzli Ikmar,
Amin Rahim, Reduan Ponirin, Nor Azlan Bakar, Megat Azrafiq, Mohamed
Sallehhin, Mohamed Anwar, Engku Malek; Midfield: P. Prabhakaran, K. Keevan
Raj, Saiful Azli, Norazlan Rahim, Azlan Misron, Jivan Mohan, Mohamed
Suppian; Forwards: Rodhanizam Radzi, Chairil Anwar, Fairuz Ramli, Chua
Boon Huat, Ikmal Abdul jabar, Ismail Abu, Mohamed Fakhrulradzi, Shahrun
Nabil.
Reserves: Jiwa Mohan, Tajol Rosli, K. Logan Raj, Riduan Nasir, Fairuz
Hamsani.
(END)