Coach to be appointed soon

THE National Sports Council (NSC) is on standby mode, while waiting for the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) to submit names of potential coaches to chart the future of hockey in the country.
And among the coaches who have been approached is South Korean Kim Sang Ryul.
“We are waiting for the MHF to submit a name to take charge of Malaysian hockey, and I believe they already have several names and will short-list soon,” said National Sports Council director of international preparations Ariffin Ghani.
The MHF council did not seek renewal of chief coach Sarit Singh, his assistant Gurmit Singn and goalkeepers coach Shahid Ali Khan’s contracts which expire on Dec 31.
And this has brought about a massive vacuum, and the names of a few former local coaches is being tossed around as Sang Ryul’s assistants.
MHF secretary Hashim Yusoff said they will get to the bottom of matters, once coaching chairman Datuk Poon Fook Loke returns from London.
“The coaching chairman is overseas and will return in a few days. A meting will be called and I can only start my work after the coaching committee submits their candidate or candidates,” said Hashim.
Hashim said the coach or coaches will then be called for an interview, before they forward the selected coaches’ name the NSC.
“The council did decide that they are in favour of a foreign coach, and we will see what the coaching committee can come up with.”
However, it is no secret that senior members of the NSC had a meeting with with Sang Ryul in Thailand, and the MHF is also in favour of the South Korean.
Sang Ryul’s last assignment was with China, who finished 11th out of 12 teams in the Beijing Olympics.
He was with South Korea for 12 years, 1988-2000, and his team delivered silver medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.