Sunday, June 17, 2012

MHC Executive Borad stalemate

THE Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) executive board meeting yesterday could not come to any conclusive decision on hiring a foreign coach to replace Tai Beng Hai.
  The Board deliberated on the matter, but said they needed at least two more weeks to decided on the foreign coach.
  "There was no decision taken on a replacement for Tai Beng Hai, as the president (Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah) said that more time was needed to find a replacement coach," said senior vice-president Dr S. Shamala.
  After Beng Hai failed to take Malaysia into the Olympics, the MHC went on a hunt for a foreign replacement.
  The front-runner among the foreign coaches is Paul  Revington of South Africa, who last coached the Irish team to  the silver medal in the Dublin Olympic Qualifier.
   And he might just being in his trusted lieutenant Arul  Selvaraj, a former Malaysian international who was assistant  to Paul in Ireland.
   The other possible candidate to replace Beng Hai is  Australian Paul Gaudoin.
  On the future of Beng Hai: "He has been given the mandate by the Executive Board to do development work, and will be in charge of the Project 2021 team," said Shamala.
  And for the Project 2017 team, the Board decided on Lim Chiow Chuan and Lailin Abu Hassan as coaches.
  "The Board also could not come to an agreement on whether to accept the resignation of Hashim Yusof (the former MHF secretary and later an office-bearer) as the president said that the matter should be left to his discretion at a later date," said Shamala.
  However, the Board did decide that the Asia Cup next year, would be held in October as to accommodate the Junior World Cup which would be held in November.
  "No other major decisions were taken by the Board, as many of the matters needed more deliberation time," said Shamala.

Memoirs of Mr Hockey

THE launch of the Memoirs of Mr Hockey, by Datuk G. Vijayanathan (pic), was officiated by Tun Ahmah Sarji at a leading hotel in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
  Viji, as he is popularly known, was the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) secretary for 26 years and also a world No 1 umpire from 1973-1976.
  He is also famed for umpiring the 1975 Kuala Lumpur World Cup final between India and Pakistan and awarded the 'controversial' goal to India which handed them the World Cup on a 2-1 score.
  "It is indeed a honour to have served hockey for such a long span, and I dedicate this book, written from my experience in the sport for over six decades, to my late wife of 51 years, Rajaletchmy, and my two daughters," said Viji.
   The 638-page book on his memoirs not only covers his family life, but to a greater extent, includes what he learnt, achieved and parted on and off the field.
  The book launch was atended by close to 500 of his friends, as well as hockey players from the 1975 World Cup squad.