Little respect for 'chicken Malaysia'

27/07/2003

RANDBURG (SA): Malaysia will have to work on its image, because the
umpires still have no respect for this fast-rising team.
Played-out twice in the Champions Challenge in South Africa, national
coach Paul Lissek was at breaking point after South Korea were given added
advantage in their 5-2 win over Malaysia.
It was a crucial encounter, which could have seen Korea playing in the
third-fourth placing match against Malaysia, instead of the final, but the
fourth-ranked team in the world received some divine intervention to aid
their cause.
"I now feel that I have chosen the wrong sport to coach. How can hockey
grow worldwide if umpires continuously support teams which have a proven
record.
"Malaysia have started to knock on the doors of the elite hockey playing
countries and I feel that some people do not like this. The penalty stroke
awarded against (K.) Gobinathan killed my boys. The first penalty corner
in the 11th minute (where Korea scored) was also very heartbreaking
because the ball accidentally hit (S.) Kuhan's foot about two feet outside
the semicircle," lamented Lissek.
Lissek has been very vocal about the standard of umpiring in the
Champions Challenge, and now FIH officials who used to look up to him with
respect, make an about turn when they see him approach.
"Some of the officials and umpires have watched videos of the Malaysia-
South Africa match and only now they are coming up to me and saying the
yellow card handed to Madzli Ikmar was unwarranted. Isn't it too late to
agree now?
"That yellow card ruined our chances in the first match, and the umpires
(John Wright of South Africa and Nick Lockhart of England) must have felt
that Malaysia were a "chicken team" and they should'nt be allowed to play
at the highest level," said Lissek.
There was a clear example of how the umpires respected the Koreans more
than Malaysia:
When Wright gave the penalty stroke in the 30th minute, Malaysian
skipper Kuhan requested him to consult the second umpire but he was just
brushed aside and the stroke stood.
But when Malaysia received a penalty corner in the early minutes of the
second half to narrow the gap, South Korean skipper Kim Jung Chul went up
to umpire Wright and requested him to consult the second umpire.
Lockhart ran from the other end of the field, and signaled that Malaysia
did not deserve the penalty corner and Wright quickly blew for a restart.
"You can see for yourself that they are more willing to review the
situation when teams with a proven track record protest than teams which
are trying to make an impact.
"The decisions taken today (yesterday) would never had been seen if
Germany or Holland were playing because the umpires know that the players
will throw their hockey sticks down, and refuse to continue with the
match.
"But against `chicken' teams like Malaysia, they are brave because they
know we would not want to take the risk of getting into trouble with the
FIH," said Lissek.
Meanwhile, as predicted, Spain and South Korea will play in the final
today. South Africa needed to win by three goals to reach the final, but
Spain were too good for the hosts and won 1-0.
The gold medallists today will book a place in the 2004 Champions
Trophy, scheduled for November in Lahore, Pakistan.
Fixtures - Final: South Korea v Spain; 3rd-4th placing: South Africa v
New Zealand; 5th-6th: Malaysia v England.
(END)