China rising for Beijing 2008

06/07/2003

NEWLY-appointed China coach Khwaja Junaid feels that it is time Asian
countries bank on their own people to coach hockey as there are no
shortages of qualified hands.
Khwaja, with a mission to help China finish top-four in the Asia Cup in
September in Kuala Lumpur, has very little to do as his charges are super
fit and have mastered the basics. All he has to do is work on tactics and
China will be the team to watch in the Asia Cup.
"Asia have qualified coaches and China has started a good trend by
hiring one from the pool. In the long run, Asia wil benefit from the move
more than the present trend of hiring Australians or Europeans," said
Khwaja.
German Paul Lissek (pic) has started to impart his knowledge and the
attachment programme which Sarjit Singh, Arul Selvaraj and Tai Beng Hai
underwent is the first step in helping Malaysians handle their own players
in the future.
The Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) coaching committee, pleased with
the initial results of the attachment programme, will name six more
coaches to understudy Lissek before September.
China have embarked on a long term project to win a medal in the 2008
Olympics in Beijing.
Malaysia were held 2-2 in the first friendly and barely won 1-0 in the
second, signalling the `birth' of professional hockey in China.
"When I went to China to help select players for the present national
squad, I was impressed by their willingness to learn. And as you can see,
fitness is not a problem as the players are willing to work long hours on
their own. All I have to do is work on set-pieces and tactics, and we will
have a fighting chance to finish top-four in the Asia Cup," said Khwaja.
Malaysia, on the other hand, have always had problems with fitness, but
now, it looks like the players have also forgotten their basics.
Some of them have forgotten how to stop a ball hit from 50 yards, while
more than 40 per cent of the free hits are normally rising shots.
The Malaysian midfield is still not moving as nobody looks confident
enough to stake a claim in that position.
"Tomorrow (today) there is no more room for excuses and the borderline
players must start claiming their place in the Champions Challenge, as I
will not hesitate to drop anyone from the Challenge squad," said Lissek.
Malaysia play their third friendly against China at the Kuala Lumpur HA
Stadium today and only a clear win will boost Malaysia's hopes in the
Champions challenge in Randburg, South Africa on July 19-27.
The final friendly is tomorrow at the Tun Razak Stadium, after which
China will head for Pakistan for a 10-day training-cum-playing Tour.
(END)