Defensive play killing game

14/01/2003

MALAYSIAN hockey is among the softest in the world and it is heading
nowhere fast, thanks to poor strategy.
Coaches, from junior and senior levels, still believe that being
defensive is better when up against formidable opponents.
Adopting this style not only kills any hope of winning titles, but also
strangles the game.
In Sunday's Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) Under-19 Four-Nation
International Invitational final between hosts Malaysia and India, the
hosts' defensive play got so boring the 3,000-odd crowd kept booing the
juniors who were adamant on making back passes even though there was ample
of space to move forward.
Hockey will never progress with such a negative attitude, especially
when coupled with the decade-old problem of players quitting before their
time - a thorny issue the MHF Council has always chose to ignore.
The chance of a lifetime was there for the national juniors on Sunday
but they threw it away because the gameplan was backward.
India's coach Harinder Singh had prepared his players to ward off any
early onslaught from Malaysia, and he was dumbfounded when the hosts
defended for 35 minutes, and only made half-hearted attempts in the second
half.
Some of the players were even seen holding onto the ball and trying to
waste time - even though they were 3-0 down.
The problem of players quitting after MHF spending considerable amount
of money on them, - some from the taxpayers coming via the National Sports
Council - will never end until such time that the MHF Council signs
binding contracts with each player, especially those with potential.
After a series of damning withdrawls which left a huge vacuum in the
national squad preparing for the Asian Games in Busan last year, MHF is
still in a comatose state and has not lifted a finger to stop the drain of
talent even though numerous proposals have been made.
Ismail Abu, Sallehin Ghani, Shahrun Nabil and Suffian Mohamed took
advantage of the loophole and stunned MHF when they snubbed national call-
ups citing studies as their reason.
What is becoming of hockey in the country? Can it no longer be played
actively alongside studies? Has the education system become so demanding
that sportsmen, especially hockey players, cannot cope with both at the
same time?
A truly pampered lot. That is what the quitters in hockey are. After
being showered with special attention - from nutritional diets,
psychologists to one of the best chief coaches in the world in Paul Lissek
- the players seem to think it is their right to dictate terms.
A contract, signed with the parents consent if a player is below the age
of 18, should be as compulsory as having a hockey stick in hand when
playing.
MHF and NSC are presently mulling over a national hockey academy. The
paperwork is almost complete and some say it might be launched by the end
of the year with a pioneer batch of under-13 players.
While the idea is a sound one, what good will it do if the players
decide to retire from the game at the age of 18 after enjoying all the
benefits at the academy?
A contract, and holding back the money for international caps till a
player turns 30, is the only solution.
Back to the pitch, Malaysian coaches seem to have forgotten that attack
is the best form of defence.
So, why change a policy that has been working well for the players? They
were enjoying playing in the pool matches, but were turned into robots in
the final. For what reason? To lose by one goal or a 100 is the same in a
final, and many felt that if the juniors were allowed to play their normal
game, the result would have been different.
Germany suffered when they played a defensive game in the Sydney
Olympics, but then bounced back two years later, with a new coach, to lift
the Kuala Lumpur World Cup title.
When Germany's coach Bernhadt Peters was asked what he did differently,
his answer was: "I told them to attack."
Attack and contract, two words that can change Malaysian hockey,
provided the officials act fast.
(END)