UniKL's Malacca test..

UNIKL Young Guns will face an early test in Division One of the Junior Hockey League against Malacca High School at the Malacca Stadium today.
    Having only played one game so far, into the third week of the JHL, UniKL are yet to find their footing as they struggled to beat KL Sports School 2-0 two weeks ago.
    And UniKL are aware of the pitfalls that await them in Malacca has Malacca HS has the tendency to raise their game and stun any team that are overconfident.
  “We have had a two-week rest where I worked on some of the shortfalls that were spotted against KLSS. I also emphasised on physical conditioning as the next few weeks will see us playing back to back matches,” said UniKL coach Rodhanizam Radzi.
   And Rodhanizam, a former national player, knows that Malacca HS will be hard to crack: “ We cannot even afford a draw as that will leave us trailing leaders Thunderbolts and that will not be good at such an early stage."
     Malacca HS have played three matches, drawing against Anderson 1-1 in their opening match before playing to a 2-2 draw against KLSS last Saturday. However, Malacca HS  lost 1-3 to Petaling Jaya Municipal Council in their third match.
    Defending champions Thunderbolts are at the top of the Division One table, and will play PJCC in Taman Daya today.
    Thunderbolts smashed Anderson of Ipoh 7-0 last weekend.
   Meanwhile, World No 13 Malaysia are in Group A of the World Cup, on May 31-June 15 at the Hague, with 2010 World Cup champions Australia (World Ranking 1), England (4), Belgium (5), India (8) and Spain (10).
    In Group B, Olympic champions Germany (2) will face hosts, the Netherlands (3), New Zealand (6), South Korea (7), Argentina (11) and South Africa (12).
    “We need to finish among the top 10 to move up our rankings, and I believe it will be difficult, but not impossible,” said senior coach K. Dharmaraj.
    Dharmaraj has 35 players in training, and after the Azlan Shah Cup on March 13-23, he will either drop, or add more players to the pool.
    Australia, Pakistan, South Korea, Canada and France have confirmed for the Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh.
    Junior Hockey League -- Today: Division One: SSTMI Thunderbolts v Petaling Jaya CC (5pm, Taman Daya); Malacca HS v UniKL Young Guns (5pm, Malacca).
    Division 2A: 1MAS Penang v Nur Insafi (5pm, USM Stadium).
    Division 2B: 1MAS Perak v KLSS Juniors (5pm, Azlan Shah Stadium); MSSD Larut Matang-Selama v Olak-PKT (5pm, Kuala Kangsar).
   Division 2C: SM Sains Johor v SMK Datuk Taha (5pm, Batu Pahat); BJSS Juniors v Politeknik KPM (5pm, Ministry of Education Stadium Pantai).

Paul Revington explains why he quit again...

FORMER Malaysian hockey chief coach Paul Revington could not cope with stress, which led to a temporarily worn-out and damaged mind, leaving him no choice but to resign in a haste.
    A visibly shaken Revinton read from a prepared statement, which he hoped would clear the air on why he quit the national team for the second time in seven months.
   “Although I had tried extremely hard to fight the onset of a stress-related illness since June 2013, I am still not functioning to my maximum capacity and it has been affecting the quality of my day-to-day work,” was his opening statement at a press conference yesterday.
    And it was in June 15 last year that he had thrown in the towel for the first time, when he could no longer tolerate outside interfearance, allegedly from Junior World Cup coach K.  Dharmaraj and 1Mas Project Director Lim Chiow Chuan.
    A threatening e-mail to Revington was the reason back then for the South African to resign, and from his statement, it looks like he never recovered from that episode even though he helped Malaysia qualify for the World Cup by finishing fifth in the World League Semi-finals in Johor Baru.
    The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) have accepted Revington’s resignation and elevated juniors coach Dharmaraj to fill his shoes.
   And in a surprising move, MHC demoted Revington’s assistant Arul Selvaraj to the juniors ranks.
   Revingtion, who coached South Africa then Ireland and finally Malaysia also said: “A broken or damaged mind is no different to a broken bone -- it needs time to heal. I have been working at the top end of high performance hockey for over 12 years and have been pushing myself and the teams I have been coaching to improve quickly from day one in each of these years.
    “And I often faced with continual and at times expected environmental challenges. These 12 years have unfortunately led to a temporarily worn-out and damaged mind.”
    Arul, a former national player, and assistant to Revington in South Africa, Ireland and was a package deal when he came back to Malaysia -- did not see his new position as the juniors coach as a demotion.
    “I have a contract (until 2016) and a job to do, and if the MHC feel that I am best suited to be the juniors coach, I will train the juniors and I don’t see it as a demotion,” said Arul.
   And Dharmaraj, who coached the juniors to fourth place in the New Delhi World Cup said: “The situation was such that either I be retained as the juniors coach, and Arul promoted to the seniors chief coach position or the other way around.
   “This is because if the management had decided to make Arul my assistant at the senior level, it would be difficult as he was next in line.
    “So its best that both of us handle different levels.”
    When asked if he was willing to leave his Malaysia Hockey League coaching job with KL Hockey Club if his contract does not allow him to wear two hats: “If that’s what is stipulated in my contract, I will honour it.”

Paul Revington quits, again, Dharmaraj takes over...

 Dharmaraj celebrates with his charges in New Delhi after Malaysia beat South Korea 2-1 to qualify for the Junior World Cup semi-finals.

 Paul Revington 

SOUTH African Paul Revington has quit as national seniors  chief coach, again, and this time it is final as Malaysian  Hockey Confederation (MHC) have accepted his resignation.
    And K. Dharmaraj will fill his shoes as the national seniors  coach, while Revington’s assistant Arul Selvaraj will helm the  juniors side.
    This decision was taken at a hush-hush meeting held in  Kuala Lumpur yesterday, with the official announcement  only due to be made my MHC today.
   Revington sent in his quit letter last week, and on Thursday  was present to name the 35 trainees for the senior World Cup,  as well as the Azlan Shah Cup, the Champions Challenge, the  Commonwalth Games and the Asian Games -- all of which  will be held this year.
   Revington never gave any indication that he had sent in his  quit letter, but was his jovial self when asked about his wife’s  pregnancy after the press conference to name the trainees.
    “My wife is due in the first week of March, and the delivery  will be in Malaysia. After 13 years, we will finally have twins.  One boy and one girl,” said Revington, without a hint of the  drama to unfold.
   But before the press conference to name the trainees,  Dharmaraj had told this scribe that there is going to be a  major reshuffle next week, but decline to give further detailes  when pressed further.
    Dharmaraj did not return calls or sms, but revington did  reply to an sms: “I have resigned, that is correct, I can talk - but I don’t want to give any official quotes yet.”
   This is the second time the South African has sent in his  quit letter, the first being in on June 15, 2013.
   Then, the MHC coaching committee met at Bukit Jalil, with  its 16 members proposing that Junior World Cup coach K.  Dharmaraj and 1Mas Project Director Lim Chiow Chuan be  removed from their duties.
   Apparently, both Dharmaraj and Chiow Chuan had a hand  in Revington’s sudden decision even though the World  League was to be held in Johor Baru from June 29-July 7.
   But an intervention by MHC presdient Tengku Abdullah  Sultan Ahmad Shah saw revington retract his resignation,  and helm Malaysia to finish fifth in the World League and  quqlify for the World Cup at the Hague, Netherlands on may  31 to June 15.
    And when Revingtom named the training squad, he was  asked is he could work with Dharmaraj, who was promoted  to the senior side after Malaysia finished fourth in the Junior  World Cup.
    Revington answered: “I have had problems in the past with  the coach (Dharmaraj) but now that we will be preparing a  team for the World Cup and Asian Games, there are no  problems. He (Dharmaraj) will be given tasks to prepare the  team.”
    Apparently, Revingtion quit due to health reasons.

Thunderbolts Strike Anderson Seven Times..

JUNIOR Hockey League Divison One defending champions  SSTMI Thunderbolts whitewashed Anderson 7-0 to stamp  their mark at the Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh yesterday.
   The champions only blemish last season was a 1-0 defeat to  Anderson, and this season, they made sure with a thumping  win.
    “We went in looking for a win, as last season Anderson  were the only team which beat us. However, the margin is  very pleasing as we look forward to defending out title,” said  Thunderbolts coach Wan Roslan Wan Rahman.
    There was never a moment of lapse as Thunderbolts  hammered in the goals via Najib Abu Hassan (first minute),  Aminuddin Zain (9th, 68th), Syed Syafiq Syed Cholan (47th,  64th), Firdaus Omar (54th) and Zulhamizan Awang Abas  (62nd).
    “We only have one match this weekend, as we prepare for  what I feel would be a tougher match against Petaling Jaya  (Municipal Council) next Friday.
    “And if we seal the three points against PJCC, it would  make our title defence that much easier,” said Wan Roslan.
    Meanwhile, the saga of the missing sponsors advertising  boards at the Kuala Lumpur HA Stadium continued as none  were visible in the two league matches played at the venue  yesterday.
    The Malaysian Hockey Confederation Competitions Tech nical Committee had decided in their last meeting on Monday  to move all matches scheduled at the KLHA stadium to the  National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil, but that decision too  was not enforced.
    RESULTS -- Division One: Anderson 0 SSTMI Thunderbolts  7, KLSS Jnrs x Malacca High School x.
    Division Two A: MSSp-USM 1 Nur Insafi 3, Bakat  MSSK/PHK 2 Matri 0, SMK Syed Hassan 1 1Mas Penang 0.
    Division Two B: KLHC Jnrs 1 Felda Temerloh 3, Padang  Midin 16 Permatang Jnrs 0, MSSD Larut Matang 1 MSP  Pahang Jnrs 1.
    Division Two C: SM Sains Johor 2 SMKTB 4, BJSS 5 SMK  Datuk Bentara Luar 1.
   TODAY -- Division One: Petaling Jaya CC v Malacca High  School (7pm, KLHA), Anderson MBI v SSTMI Jnrs (5pm,  Azlan Shah Stadium).
    Division Two A: PHKS v MSSP-USM (5pm, Alor Star), Bakat  MSSk v Star (5pm, Pasir Mas).
    Division Two B: OLAK-PKT v Felda Temerloh (5pm, KLHA),  1Mas Perak v MSP pahang Jnrs (5pm, Azlan Shah Sta dium).
    Division Two C: Politeknik KPM v SMKTB (5pm, Taman  Daya), Datuk Taha v BJSS (5pm, Seremban II), BJSS Jnrs v  SMK Datuk Bentara Luar (5pm, KPM Pantai).

Anderson test for Thunderbolts

JUNIOR Hockey League Division One defending champions Thunderbolts will face an early test against Anderson of Ipoh at the Azlan Shah Stadium Saturday.
    For Anderson were the only team that beat the champions, 1-0, last season and that defeat is still fresh on the mind of Thunderbolts coach Wan Roslan Wan Rahman.
   In the first week of the JHL, Thunderbolts hammered Thunderbolts Juniors 6-0, while Anderson were held to a 1-1 draw by Malacca High School before going down 1-2 to Petaling Jaya Municipal Council,
     “Anderson always lift their game against us and I expect it to be the same this time around as well,” said Wan Roslan.
     “It will not be an easy match as I believe Anderson have settled down after playing two matches.
   “We have to play a tight marking game as this JHL is a short league and draw is akin to a defeat and we cant afford to drop even a single point to defend our title,” said Wan Roslan.
   In another Division One match at the Pantai Hockey Stadium, Malacca High School are expected to collect full points against KLSS Juniors.
    While in Division Two, Nur Insafi are expected to consolidate their position in Group A when they play MSSPP at the USM Stadium.
    SATURDAY -- Division One: Anderson v SSTMI Thunderbolts (Azlan Shah Stadium, 5pm), KLSS Jnrs v Malacca High School (KLHA, 7pm).
    Division Two A: MSSp-USM v Nur Insafi (5pm, USM), Bakat MSSK/PHK v Matri (5pm, Pasir Mas), SMK Syed Hassan v 1Mas Penang (5pm, Perlis).
    Division Two B: KLHC Jnrs v Felda Temerloh (5pm, KLHA), Padang Midin v Permatang Jnrs (5pm, Kuala Terengganu), MSSD Larut Matang v MSP Pahang Jnrs (5pm, Kuala Kangsar).
    Division Two C: SM Sains Johor v SMKTB (5pm, Batu Pahat), BJSS v SMK Datuk Bentara Luar (5pm, KPM Pantai).
    SUNDAY -- Division One: Petaling Jaya CC v Malacca High School (7pm, KLHA), Anderson MBI v SSTMI Jnrs (5pm, Azlan Shah Stadium).
    Division Two A: PHKS v MSSP-USM (5pm, Alor Star), Bakat MSSk v Star (5pm, Pasir Mas).
    Division Two B: OLAK-PKT v Felda Temerloh (5pm, KLHA), 1Mas Perak v MSP pahang Jnrs (5pm, Azlan Shah Stadium).
    Division Two C: Politeknik KPM v SMKTB (5pm, Taman Daya), Datuk Taha v BJSS (5pm, Seremban II), BJSS Jnrs v SMK Datuk Bentara Luar (5pm, KPM Pantai).