By Jugjet Singh
MALAYSIA received a dream draw, and will now look for a super start against Brunei in the Borneo Sevens at the Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu today.
The fact that three senior players made themselves available for the tournament yesterday, has boosted Malaysia's chances of topping Group B.
"We are looking forward to a good start against Brunei and with the availability of three seniors, I believe we will give all the teams in our group a tough fight," said Wan Ibrahim Wan Chik.
Syahir Asyraf, the best centre in Malaysia, Kini Rasolosolo a naturalised Fijian and K. Dinesh were released from club duty and their experience will be of great help.
"Malaysia played without senior players in the Shanghai leg, which was also during the Fasting Month, and this was the reason for a poor show (we finished sixth).
"Now that we have the best in the country, and with home ground advantage, the plan is to top the group so that the crossover opponents would be much easier."
And to top the group, Malaysia will have to beat a strong Hong Kong side as well as Brunei and Taiwan.
Meanwile, the Malaysian women got off to a horrific start in the Asia Pacific Women's Sevens as they were thrashed to glory yesterday and failed to even score a single point against Papua New Guinea, Tonga and China.
RESULTS: Women -- Singapore 5 Cook Islands 34, Hong Kong 10 Samoa 12, China 21 Tonga 15, Malaysia 0 Papua New Guinea 46, Singapore 10 Samoa 12, Hong Kong 24 Cook Islands 10, China 12 Papua New Guinea 10, Malaysia 0 Tonga 25.
Singapore 5 Hong Kong 28, Cook Islands 5 Samoa 33, China 29 Malaysia 0, Tonga 10 Papua New Guinea 17.
Today: Men -- Group A: South Korea v Thailand, China v Sri Lanka, South Korea v Sri Lanka, China v Thailand, South Korea v China, Thailand v Sri Lanka.
Group B: Hong Kong v Taiwan, Malaysia v Brunei, Hong Kong v Brunei, Malaysia v Taiwan, Hong Kong v Malaysia, Taiwan v Brunei.
Group C: Japan v Philippines, Kazakhstan v UAE, Japan v UAE, Kazakhstan v Philippines, Japan v Kazakhstan, Philippines v UAE.
Friday, September 23, 2011
FIJI DEBACLE: MHF write to FIH for play-off..
THE Fiji men's hockey team have withdrawn for the Oceania Olympic Qualifier, and this has prompted the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) to put forward a playoff proposal to the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
The MHF feel that the current Olympic Qualifier criteria should be reviewed as now only Australia and New Zealand will play in the Oceania Cup, which offers two tickets to the Olympics.
In contrast the Asian Games, which has five of the top-15 teams in the world, offers only one seat to the Olympics and Pakistan won it by beating Malaysia 2-0.
MHF secretary Maninderjit Singh wrote to FIH Competitions Manager Martyn Gallivan: "As part of the FIH CEO Forum Team, I would like to suggest the current Olympic Qualification criteria to be analysed again in order to address Fiji's withdrawl from the Oceania Cup.
"MHF's suggestion is to have a one-off or best of three play-off between the runners-up of the Asian Games and runners-up of the Australia-New Zealand match."
And to justify MHF's request, five points were raised.
1. Only one direct slot was given to Asia via the 2010 Asian Games, while Oceania has two direct slots.
2. Ten teams competed in the 2010 Asian Games, while only three for the Oceania Cup (before Fiji withdrew).
3. Five teams from Asia are ranked in the top-15 bracket in the world (South Korea, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan and China).
4. The Asian Games is high standard tournament as the Asian Hockey Federation organised a qualifying round.
Maninderjit also said: "While I am aware that the decision of the three Qualifiers and the teams (pools) shall be made known on Nov 8, I still feel the above proposal is rationale with valid points to review the Qualifying criteria.
"Malaysia will be ever willing to assist and to host the play-off matches between Malaysia and New Zealand or Australia."
The FIH have yet to release news of Fiji's withdrawl on their website, but Oceania Cup hosts Tasmania has confirmed it with a press statement.
"Hockey Tasmania has expressed its disappointment that Fiji has withdrawn both its national teams from next month's Olympic qualifying tournament in Hobart.
"The announcement, blamed on 'government and corporate financial constraints' in Fiji, means both the Kookaburras (Australian men) and Hockeyroos (Australian women) receive automatic qualification to the 2012 London Games.
"Fiji's women's team had already withdrawn but the addition of the men's team renders the Oceania Cup a two-horse race in both genders."
The MHF feel that the current Olympic Qualifier criteria should be reviewed as now only Australia and New Zealand will play in the Oceania Cup, which offers two tickets to the Olympics.
In contrast the Asian Games, which has five of the top-15 teams in the world, offers only one seat to the Olympics and Pakistan won it by beating Malaysia 2-0.
MHF secretary Maninderjit Singh wrote to FIH Competitions Manager Martyn Gallivan: "As part of the FIH CEO Forum Team, I would like to suggest the current Olympic Qualification criteria to be analysed again in order to address Fiji's withdrawl from the Oceania Cup.
"MHF's suggestion is to have a one-off or best of three play-off between the runners-up of the Asian Games and runners-up of the Australia-New Zealand match."
And to justify MHF's request, five points were raised.
1. Only one direct slot was given to Asia via the 2010 Asian Games, while Oceania has two direct slots.
2. Ten teams competed in the 2010 Asian Games, while only three for the Oceania Cup (before Fiji withdrew).
3. Five teams from Asia are ranked in the top-15 bracket in the world (South Korea, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan and China).
4. The Asian Games is high standard tournament as the Asian Hockey Federation organised a qualifying round.
Maninderjit also said: "While I am aware that the decision of the three Qualifiers and the teams (pools) shall be made known on Nov 8, I still feel the above proposal is rationale with valid points to review the Qualifying criteria.
"Malaysia will be ever willing to assist and to host the play-off matches between Malaysia and New Zealand or Australia."
The FIH have yet to release news of Fiji's withdrawl on their website, but Oceania Cup hosts Tasmania has confirmed it with a press statement.
"Hockey Tasmania has expressed its disappointment that Fiji has withdrawn both its national teams from next month's Olympic qualifying tournament in Hobart.
"The announcement, blamed on 'government and corporate financial constraints' in Fiji, means both the Kookaburras (Australian men) and Hockeyroos (Australian women) receive automatic qualification to the 2012 London Games.
"Fiji's women's team had already withdrawn but the addition of the men's team renders the Oceania Cup a two-horse race in both genders."
Fiji withdraws from Olympic Qualifier
Hockey Tasmania has expressed its disappointment that Fiji has withdrawn both its national teams from next month's Olympic qualifying tournament in Hobart.
"The announcement, blamed on 'government and corporate financial constraints' in Fiji, means both the Kookaburras (Australian men) and Hockeyroos (Australian women) receive automatic qualification to the 2012 London Games.
"Fiji's women's team had already withdrawn but the addition of the men's team renders the Oceania Cup a two-horse race in both genders."
"The announcement, blamed on 'government and corporate financial constraints' in Fiji, means both the Kookaburras (Australian men) and Hockeyroos (Australian women) receive automatic qualification to the 2012 London Games.
"Fiji's women's team had already withdrawn but the addition of the men's team renders the Oceania Cup a two-horse race in both genders."
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