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THE Negri Sembilan HA will be breaking new ground today, when Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan launches an Under-18 League at the Seremban II Stadium.
It will be a first not only for NSHA, but the country as well, and the response is overwhelming as 19 boys and one girls team has registered to compete.
Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah will also be present, and after the formalities, the Tengku Mahkota’s team will play a match against the Menteri Besar side.
“The league will start on Monday and end in April. This league will also have another special feature, as we have accommodated a request from the Negri Malaysia Games girls team to play against the boys.
“We felt that it would be a great exposure for the girls to toughen themselves for the Games which will be held in Malacca,” said NSHA assistant secretary Jusver Singh.
The matches will be held at the Seremban II stadium, as well as the Tunku Besar Secondary School (TBSS) synthetic pitch.
“The TBSS pitch is a little worn out, but still in playable condition. We have written to the relevant authorities for a new turf, but have yet to receive a reply,” said Jusver.
Jusver hopes the NSHA initiative will catch on with the other State HAs as well.
“Negri has produced many national players and with 20 teams taking part, I am sure we will be able to identify a bigger pool of talent not only or the state, but also the country.”
And the NSHA are also planning to field a side in the Malaysia Hockey League this season.
A Tenaga Nasional hockey clinic will also be held today at the Seremban II Stadium, where 360 youth will be taught the basics in two sessions.
Meanwhile, three Malaysian coaches will be in New Delhi for a coaching course in conjunction with the World Cup.
Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club coach R. Vivekanandan, Pro ject 2013 coach K. Dharmaraj and national coach Tai Beng Hai will attend the International Hockey Federation (FIH) coaching course from March 5 onwards.
And if they pass this hurdle, they will be called up for a coaching seminar, and then receive the Class I FIH coaching certificate.
WORLD CUP DAY 1 SCHEDULE (India Time)
Sunday 28 February 201016:35
South Africa Vs
Spain 
18:35
Australia Vs
England 
20:35
Pakistan Vs
India 
Rank | Country | Points |
1 | | 2088 |
2 | | 1993 |
3 | | 1790 |
4 | | 1778 |
5 | | 1730 |
6 | | 1535 |
7 | | 1498 |
8 | | 1373 |
11 | | 1043 |
12 | | 1010 |
13 | | 965 |
14 | | 962 |
PIC: Zeeshan Ashraf (left) and Gabbar Singh of Canada in action.By Kuldip Lal NEW DELHI, Feb 26, 2010 (AFP) - Skipper Zeeshan Ashraf hopes to celebrate his 32nd birthday Sunday by leading Pakistan to victory over arch-rivals India in the men’s field hockey World Cup.
The old foes, once the masters of the game, will clash on the opening day in a marquee match that organisers claim had been sold out at the 19,000-seater Dhyan Chand National Stadium.
“It is one of the most important matches of my life,” said Zeeshan. “Hope I can gift myself a win because no team can afford to lose the first match of a tournament.”
The eagerly awaited match gives both sides a chance to shine on the world stage after struggling to keep pace with European and Australian rivals over the past two decades.
India, who won the last of their eight Olympic gold medals in 1980, failed to qualify for the Beijing Games and earned a World Cup berth only by virtue of being the hosts.
Pakistan, whose four World Cup titles are unmatched, have not won a major tournament since their last Cup win in Sydney in 1994 and finished eighth — their lowest Olympic placing — in Beijing.
Pakistan coach Shahid Ali Khan admitted the 12-nation tournament could make or break the Asian giants.
“We need to revive hockey in both India and Pakistan and the World Cup is our best chance to turn the corner,” the former goalkeeper said.
“The first game is crucial. India have the home advantage, but the pressure of performing in front of their home crowd could work in our favour.”
Khan was in the squad in 1982 when Pakistan thrashed India 7-1 in the Asian Games final at the same Dhyan Chand stadium in New Delhi and also won the World Cup in Mumbai the same year.
India, who finished 11th out of 12 in the previous World Cup in Germany in 2006, were excited at playing Pakistan for the first time in a Cup match since 1986.
“People are saying the game is like a final before the final,” said striker Prabhjot Singh.
“I tell them it’s not just this one, all league matches are like a final.” India and Pakistan are drawn with hot favourites Australia, Beijing silver-medallists Spain, England and South Africa in group B, with two teams advancing to the semi-finals.
Group A comprises defending champions Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, New Zealand, Argentina and Canada.
India, coached by Spaniard Jose Brasa, hope to counter Pakistan’s ace penalty-corner specialist Sohail Abbas with three drag flickers of their own in Sandeep Singh, Diwakar Ram and Dhananjay Mahadik.
Abbas, 34, the first player in the sport to score more than 300 goals, goes into his fourth World Cup carrying the hopes of an entire nation.
“I want to make it a memorable tournament for my team and myself,” he said.
"If we can begin well against India, we have the ability to go far in the tournament.” Coach Brasa was quietly confident of India’s chances, saying the team had prepared well despite the build-up being marred by a pay dispute that was resolved after a three-day strike by the players.
“I am not predicting anything, but we are ready to face the best,” said Brasa.
DUTCHMAN Roelant Oltmans has only some minor issues to iron out before taking over as the national hockey coach on May 1.
"We have been in constant touch with Oltmans and he is keen to come to Malaysia and is only waiting to clear some minor details before signing his contract," said National Sports Council director general Datuk Zolkples Embong yesterday.
"If he comes, he will not only coach but also conduct coaching courses for locals."
Oltmans has experience in coaching the Dutch national side as well as Pakistan and is currently with clubside Laren.
Besides his job at Laren, Oltmans has a part-time position at the Dutch National Olympic Council.
It is believed that he will be paid E10,000 (RM50,000) per-month.
"We are looking at a two-year contract, with an option to be extended for another year. If all works out well, we are looking for a long term commitment.
"The present coaching structure stays, with Stephen van Huizen and Tai Beng Hai remaining as national coaches," said Zolkples.
At yesterday's NSC-Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) joint-committee meeting, it was proposed that two national teams be groomed for the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi (October) and the Guangzhou Asian Games (November).
Currently, 25 players are in training, but NSC is agreeable to foot the bill for another five.
"Our plan is to either send a mixed team or a totally different team to the Commonwealth Games, while another team concentrate on the Asian Games.
"I believe we have many talented youth in training right now, and sending them to the Commonwealth Games will give them the exposure to fight for a spot in the Asian Games squad.
"However, we leave it in Oltmans' hands, and will let him have the final say. If he wants to send the best for the Commonwealth Games, so be it," said Zolkelpes.
Malaysia learnt a bitter lesson in 2006 where they finished third in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in March, but a month later, were total washout in the China World Cup Qualifier where they finished ninth.
India defeats Netherlands 2-1 today in the second friendly match played at the floodlit second pitch.
Prabhjot Singh and Deepak Thakur scored a goal apiece while in between Taeke Takema converted a penalty corner.
On Tuesday, India defeated Argentina, its first friendly here, on the same identical score.
Speaking to the media, Prabhjot said the two wins will be morale booster for the team, which will be taking on Pakistan on Sunday.
Interestingly, Pakistan coach Shahid Ali Khan, manager Asif Bajwa and their foreign import trainer, and Australian Charlesworth were among the spectators. Stick2Hockey
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Wednesday claimed that it was not at fault over the mismanagement concerning the Hero Honda hockey World Cup, which is starting here on Sunday.
FIH's communication manager Arjen Meijer made the revelation on an eventful day when the media, upset over the delay in getting accreditation cards as well as for being denied access to the players and the National Stadium, decided to partly boycott a press conference featuring the FIH official.
The media attended the press conference, arranged to announce a tie-up between Karbonn Mobiles and FIH for the World Cup, but staged a walkout as soon as Meijer started to speak. "The FIH is with the media. And let me tell you, we are not at fault," Meijer said later without putting the blame on anyone.
The organisers later arranged four players from different countries for media interaction, a first since the arrival of the teams in the Capital for the event. Australia were the first team to reach on Monday.
The Karbonn Mobiles bosses, meanwhile, said that each member of the team would be awarded Rs 2.5 lakh if India win the World Cup. Times of India
THE Negri Sembilan HA will be breaking new ground today, when Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan launches an Under-18 League at the Seremban II Stadium.
