India shuffle and experiment..

By S.THYAGARAJAN

There is a touch of ingenuity and imagination in the approach work of the new Dutch coach for the Indian hockey team, Paul van Ass.

This reflects well in the selection of the team for the Hockey World League (HWL) semi-finals to come off at Antwerp (Belgium) from June 20 to July 5.

The HWL is linked now to the Olympics in Rio as a qualification event, but it does not concern India much as it is already assured of the place after winning the Asian Games gold at Incheon.

What however makes this event an important one for the team as also to the coach is the opportunity to combat against the top outfits like Australia, Pakistan, France and others.

Undoubtedly, this will be another litmus test for the coach who obtained a moderate level of success on his first outing at the recent Azlan Shah hockey tournament at Ipoh where India won a bronze after dipping into a hopeless position.

Some eyebrows are likely to be raised over the selection, which keeps out penalty corner striker Rupinderpal Singh, midfielder Mandeep and the striker Uthappa.

Van Ass has logically met with the developing skepticism over the omissions. He has argued rather convincingly the need to shuffle and experiment in competitions where India has nothing much to lose.

By recalling the young Yuvaraj Walmiki and giving a greater role Jasjit Singh Kular in the defense and in penalty corners, van Ass has taken a right step.

At one point of time not long ago, Walmiki was regarded as the enfant terrible of Indian hockey from Mumbai. He played a significant role in India winning the first Asian Champions Trophy at Ordos (Mongolia) under the Aussie coach, Nobbs, who laid a lot of hopes on this youngster. Injuries and a lack of a confidence by subsequent coaches kept him away from the national side. In the current dispensation, Walmiki should be seen as the substitute for Uthappa.

The basic architecture of the team remains undisturbed. All the top stars who have contributed immensely to enlarging the image of the country like Sreejesh, skipper, Sardar Singh, and veterans Gurbaj Singh, Birendra Lakra and S V Sunil are very much part of the squad.

India faces France in the opening match, but comes to grips with Pakistan in the next outing. Understandably, Pakistan is desperate to be back at the Olympics after missing the World Cup in The Hague last year.

More importantly, it will go all out to avoid a defeat against India after the ugly encounter win in the semi-finals during the Champions Trophy at Bhubaneswar.

Admittedly, there will be a lot of attention on India’s showing at Antwerp, especially in the light of the fact India is hosting the final of the HWL for the top eight teams here at Chattisgarh in December.

India is grouped with France, Poland, Pakistan and Australia in Pool A, while Pool B consists of China, Ireland, Malaysia, Great Britain and the host Belgium.

The team:

Goalkeepers: P.R.Sreejesh and Harjot Singh;

Defenders: Manpreet Singh, Birendra Lakra, V.R.Raghunath, Jasjit Singh Khular, Gurmail Singh;

Midfielders: Gurbaj Singh, Dharamvir Singh, Sardar Singh, Chinglesena Singh, Lalith Upadyaya;

Forwards: S.V.Sunil, Nikkhin Thimmiah, Yuvaraj Walmiki, Akashdeep Singh and Ramandeep Singh. 

Meeting to chart MHC future..

THE first meeting of the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) Executive Board (EB) will be held Saturday, and high on the agenda is naming of 10 committee chairmen to formulate and chart hockey's future for the next four years.
  There are a total of 12 committees under the MHC constitution, but with Finance as well as National Team Management having been taken by president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal, 10 heads will be named at the first EB meeting.
  The 10 committees are Coaching, Competition, Development, High Performance, Indoor, Legal and Special Projects, Marketing and Sponsorship, Media Public Relations, Umpiring and Medical Committee.
  Former national skipper and now MHC vice-president Ow Soon Kooi is said to be the chosen one to head the Coaching Committee.
  "I've heard about being linked to the Coaching Committee but I will only know for sure tomorrow (today). Anyway, I stood for election because I wanted to serve hockey and I don't mind heading any of the 10 committees because in the end, all of them serve the sport in various capacities," said Soon Kooi.
  On his take of Subahan after two weeks on the hot-seat: "Personally speaking, the president has been on his toes and is very dedicated to serve hockey and wants to put everything in place as soon as possible so that the EB members can start contributing to the various committees."
  The Coaching Committee chairman as well as Finance will have their work cut out for the next four years, as previously, both the committees ran on a helter-skelter mode.
  The previous MHC management played musical chairs with their coaches and made a mess of some of the tournaments by pulling the chair even before it could be warmed.
  Right now, Tai Beng Hai is the chief coach assisted by Nur Saiful Zaini while Australian Neil Hawgood is consultant leading to the Belgium World League Semi-finals.
  The Committee Chairman will have his hands full when the WL Semi-finals ends on July 5, as his committee will have to move the chairs around again and decide whether to extend the Australian's contract as consultant, name him as chief coach, or release him.
  The Finance Committee will be tasked to wipe out MHC's RM2.6 million debt as soon as possible, as well as pay the coaches and players who are preparing for the Olympic qualifier their long overdue dues totalling RM300,000 by Saturday.

Kumar: My final shot at Olympics ...

Kumar after conducting a coaching clinic for boys and girls from all over Negri Sembilan at the Seremban II Stadium Saturday. It was organised by the Negri Sembilan HA.

NATIONAL No 1 goalkeeper S. Kumar will be going for broke at the  Belgium World League Semi-finals on June 20 to July 5.
  The 35-year-old custodian is at his prime to help Malaysia qualify for the Olympics, but if he fails, he will call it a day.
  "I have played at the World Cup but Olympics has eluded me over the years and Belgium would be my last chance to make the grade to Rio de Janeiro next year. Age is catching up with me and if I miss Brazil, I would be 40 by the next Games," said Kumar after conducting a goalkeepers coaching clinic organised by the Negri Sembilan HA at the Seremban II Stadium on Saturday.
  About 50 youth from all over Negri came for the clinic, which was also conducted by national goalkeeper's coach M. Nadarajan.
  Kumar took Malaysia to the 2014 World Cup as well as handed Malaysia the gold medal at the World League Round Two in Singapore in January.
  On both occasions, he showed nerves of steel to stop Japan in a penalty shoot-out. 
  During the World Cup Qualifier in Johor Baru, Japan held Malaysia to a 1-1 draw in the World League Semi-finals fifth-sixth placing match, but Kumar made some heroic saves to win the shoot-out 4-3 to take Malaysia to the World Cup in Netherlands.
   And in the World League Round Two, Malaysia were again held to a 1-1 draw by Japan in the semi-finals, but in the shoot-out, Kumar held the fort and took his team into the final on a 3-1 score which booked a ticket to the World League Semi-finals in Belgium.
  "Hockey is all about speed and reflections today, and goalkeepers need to be on their toes the entire game. The more saves we make, the more confident the team becomes and winning becomes that much easier," said the Tampin-born Kumar.
  The second goalkeeper is Roslan Jamaluddin, and both of them are sure bets to play in Belgium, leaving coach Tai Beng Hai to select 16 more outfield players.
  Malaysia are in Group B of the World League Semi-finals with Belgium, Great Britain, China and Ireland. In Group A are Australia, India, Pakistan, Poland and France.
  "We play China and then Ireland and need to win both the early matches to book a quarter-finals spot early as there are five teams in each group and the last placed teams will not be involved in the play-offs," said Kumar.
  Malaysia need to play in the last four in Belgium to seal their Olympic ticket.
  At the coaching clinic, Kumar and Nadarajan drilled the aspiring goalkeepers for three hours on basics.
  "The turn-out is good, but the majority are still struggling with basics," said Nadarajan.
  There were a handful of teachers who were also taught how to polish the basics of their students, and now its up to them to nurture their goalkeepers and strengthen the basics.
  Negri Sembilan HA secretary P. Tamilselvan said: "Kumar and Nadarajan have shown the teachers on how to strengthen the basics in goalkeeping and we will follow up with the teachers from time to time by holding more clinics. Hopefully another goalkeeper from Negri Sembilan will follow Kumar's footsteps."

MHC CEO Logan Raj needs GST as well...

Pic: Logan Raj in his playing days (both legs in the air)

By Jugjet Singh
COMMENT 

OUTGOING Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah stunned the gallery with his parting speech when he said the new council will need GST from the public, as well as its creditors to wake up.
  There was a moment of awkward silence, followed by all round smiles and laughter when Tengku Abdullah said: "GST here means Give Some Time."
  GST is what the MHC need as they have a debt of RM2.6 million to clear, and it keeps increasing as junior and senior teams criss-cross the globe to play friendlies in the run-up to the World League Semi-finals as well as the Sea Games and the Junior Asia Cup.
  Knowing well that the clock started ticking when he was unopposed as president of the MHC when nominations closed on April 28, Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal has been on his toes since, meeting relevant parties and formulating KPI's for them, even before they were elected on May 13.
  One matter that was discussed way ahead, and stamped right after the elections was the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Former International K. Logan Raj was hand-picked by Subahan, and his newly elected council endorsed it. Logan, Subahan said, will start work immediately.
  The newly elected members did not have the luxury of GST to choose a CEO, as it was the prerogative of the president and he made a lightning bolt decision which caught many by surprise, some speechless, while others said they had no comments.
  Minutes after the appointment, followed emails on Logan's job scope, as well as his KPI which was a mouthful, but Logan Raj has no GST on his side as his job scope sees him doing stuff from the office-boy level to the daily running of the MHC to bringing in revenue which is just some of the tasks that the former player with more than 200 caps will be up against for the next two years.
  Logan Raj started work yesterday, and when contacted said he has yet to walk into his new office as he has been running around doing other stuff as directed by the president. He said he knows the weight that has been placed on his shoulders, and the KPI expected of him is quite heavy, and he quipped: "Even the pile of paper that my KPI has been printed on is quite heavy, but that does not worry me as I am ready and willing to give my all."
  As Tengku Abdullah said, GST should be applied at all levels, and Logan Raj has two years to get the house in order as he does not have the luxury of a secretary or assistant secretary as the new constitution abolished those posts.
  He will inherit many office helpers from the previous regime, but they have been in a comfort zone for far too long, and this is one group that GST must not be applied to as they had ample time under former secretary Datuk Johari Aziz but fared miserable.
  One para of Logan Raj's job scope states: The CEO assumes the day-to-day management and operation of the MHC on behalf of the Executive Board, in accordance to all directives and policies established by the President and/or Executive Board."
  Logan Raj must hit the ground running, and keep running for the next two years, just to place the administrative side of MHC from red to black. From debtors to a healthy bank balance.
  Oh, before I forget, for those who questioned the selection of Logan Raj, and there are many, GST to the lad who gave half his life to hockey in training and playing in the 1998 KL Commonwealth Games, 2001 Hobart Junior World Cup, 2002 KL World Cup, and a host of Olympic qualifiers as well as skipper to the Korat Sea Games gold medal side.
  His CV has hockey blood splattered on it, and now he has been recalled to spill more sweat and blood into his new position as nobody envies what the president and his men have in store for him for the next two years.

By George! Its Koshy..

Pic: Subahan (right) with new deputy George Koshy.

BUSINESSMAN George Koshy tore the formbook apart when he beat early hot favourite Datuk Nor Azmi Ahmad to become the new men's deputy president in the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) yesterday.
  George, also a former Kuala Lumpur HA president and Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club owner, narrowly beat Azmi 16 to 13 votes.. even though when nominations closed he only had one from KL, while Azmi received 10 nominations.
  In the women's section, S. Shamala was voted in as the deputy president when she beat K. Maheswari 17 to 12 votes.
  A total of 29 delegates cast their votes after the Annual General Meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
  The seven vice-presidents who will run the MHC show for the next four years are Datuk Wan Ahmad Nizam (28 votes), Datuk Ow Soon Kooi (28), Satish Kumar (25), Manjit Majid Abdullah (24), Datuk R. Radhakrishnan (24), Nik Zarah Nik Kadir (27) and S. Nagula (19).
  Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal is the sixth MHC president, as he won unoposed when nominations closed on April 28.
  Immediately after elections, Subahan held a meeting with the new council, and appointed a Chief Operating Officer and Treasurer.
  "After discussing with the new members, we have decided to appoint former international K. Logan Raj as the CEO while the treasurer's post will go to S. Selvendran," said Subahan.
  The windfall that Subahan received yesterday was when out-going president, for two terms from 2008, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah announced that he will help clear MHC's debt which is about RM2.6 million.
  "I wish the new council all the best, and would also like to state that I will clear the debts so that they can start on a fresh slate. And I hope they can achieve what I could not, that is to take the national team into the top-10 bracket in the world (Malaysia are 12th ranked now)," said Tengku Abdullah.
  Subahan was elated, but said MHC will have to find their own cash and not depend solely on Tengku Abdullah, who was yesterday made into MHC Honorary President.
  "I would like to thank Tengku Abdullah for his gracious gesture to clear all our debts, but we in the MHC must also work hard to make sure the money comes in and there are no more shortages," said Subahan.
  Azmi, who held the post of team manager, immediately resigned after losing: "Now that new people have been elected to helm MHC, I hope they will be able to pay all those they owe money to. I would also like to announce my immediate resignation as national team manager."
  Incoming deputy president Koshy said: "Now the work starts, and we need to immediately solve some matters with careful planning. I thank the delegates who placed their confidence in my hands."
  The immediate task at hand for Subahan and his council is to appoint a manager and sort out some coaching problems.
  "Yes We need to look into team manager and also Neil Howgood's tenure with the national team as soon as possible. So I will meet the players by next week and hold a discussion with them before making a decision.
  "As for the coaches, I have met with chief coach Tai Beng Hai and assistant coach Stephen ven Huizen and will also make a decision soon on Hawgood who is still hired as a consultant," said Subahan.
  The Malaysian team will play in the Belgium World League Semi-finals which is a qualifier for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, and they need to finish among the top-four to play in Brazil.
  Hawgood was hired as consultant for six months, and his tenure expires before the WL Seni-finals on June 20 to July 5.