Yahya on a mission

18/12/2000

THE Seventh Junior Hockey World Cup in Hobart on 8-21 Oct 2001 is
definitely going to be an uphill battle for Malaysia but coach Yahya Atan
is not worried, in fact, he is quite confident.
And he has reason to be so.
From the 37 players in training right now, Yahya will trim the squad to
22 on Wednesday and start preparing the core of the team to battle
Germany, New Zealand and Argentina in Group D.
"I am quite happy with he progress of the team so far as there has been
some keen competition to fight for a place in Phase Two of training.
"And of the 22 I will be selecting, 12 are already established players
so I will only need to work on another six to form the Junior World Cup
side," said Yahya yesterday.
The 12 regulars who will surely be named on Wednesday are Chua Boon
Huat, M. Jiwa Mohan, Nor Azlan Rahim, K. Logan Raj, Tajol Rosli, Mohamed
Zaharin Zakaria, Redzuan Ponirin, S. Shankar, Fairuz Ramli, Saiful Azhar
Affendi (goalkeeper), Amin Rahim and Azlan Misron.
These players have been playing in the Malaysia Hockey League and a case
to point is the growing confidence of Chua to score goals, something which
the senior side lacks greatly.
And if Yahya manages to make men out of the junior boys, then Malaysia
will also have a a good senior side for the 2002 World Cup in Kuala
Lumpur.
So there is no room for Yahya to fail in his mission in Hobart.
Yahya was appointed as the junior coach early this year and by April he
whipped up a side which finished third in the Asian Cup to qualify for the
Junior World Cup. His assistant is Zulkifli Abbas.
In the Asian Cup, Malaysia beat Pakistan 3-1 and sounded a warning to
the rest of the world that they are dead serious about regaining lost
ground after failing to qualify for the Junior World Cup for the first
time four years ago in Milton Keynes.
In Malaysia's revival, Pakistan juniors were delt a severe blow as the
defeat meant that they will not be playing in the Junior World Cup for the
first time since its inception in 1979.
But Malaysia are placed in a group of death in Hobart and there is
little room for mistakes. Germany will be naturally hard to beat, New
Zealand beat Australia Under-21 side 6-1 in a three-Test series to qualify
and Argentina have always been an unpredictable side.
Of the three, New Zealand's thumping win over Australia is the one to
worry about most.
"Our aim is to finish top-two in the initial round which means we must
beat New Zealand and Argentina to make the next round," said Yahya.
And he might just be able to pull it off because the juniors in training
right now are the best Malaysia have ever assembled and the world knows
it.
Fairus Ramli, who was forced to skip Phase One because he had to
complete his practical course in computer studies has been keeping himself
busy in the Malaysia Hockey League playing for Malacca Municipal Council
and has been promising. He will train with the rest in Phase Two and Yahya
has a chief striker alongside Chua in the making in him.
Nor Azlan, who was forced to skip the Sydney Olympics because of a road
accident, is also back and raring for a place in the starting lineup so
Yahya will be spoilt for choice when he names his playing team in the
Junior World Cup starting list.
If we fail in Hobart, the senior side will definitely have a torrid time
in the 2002 World Cup. A LOOK AT OUR RIVALS
* PAKISTAN men's hockey team management wants to play top teams at home
to maximise home advantage in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy in
Lahore in Nov 2001.
They have expressed concern that failure to play top teams at home might
prove detrimental to their efforts to win the Champions Trophy.
"That the international hockey calendar has not been finalised will also
work against us," said an official.
He noted that Pakistan have only confirmed participation in the Azlan
Shah Invitational in Kuala Lumpur in Aug 2001 `and the others are
hanging'.
The official said ideally a tournament here should be held six months
ahead of the Champions Trophy.
"We have to take full advantage of playing the Champions Trophy at home
and what better way than to play the top teams here ahead of the
tournament," he said.
Pakistan have been invited for several tournaments next year including a
proposed eight-nation and 10-nation in Cairo and Dhaka respectively
between Feb-March.
Then, there is also a four-nation in Germany in June.
There is also talk of reviving the India-Pakistan Test series. However,
due to strained relations between the two nations, this Test series may be
played in Dubai.
* THE Japanese are determined to make a comeback to the ranks of the
Asian hockey elite, and view qualification for the Kuala Lumpur World Cup
2002 as their most important objective in 2001.
A Japanese Hockey Association (JHA) official said the national team are
down to play in several four-nation tournaments in preparation for
Edinburgh.
"We are still reeling from our Olympic debacle and we hope to redeem
ourselves by qualifying for the next World Cup," said the official.
Host nation Japan failed to make the cut for the Olympics when they lost
to Malaysia in a classification play-off match during the Osaka qualifying
tournament last April.
For Scotland, the Japanese are seen as among 10 teams who can grab one
of the seven remaining World Cup berths.
Utrecht '98 runner-up Spain, India, Argentina, Canada and Poland are the
early favourites to qualify while the fight for the last two spots is
likely to be between the Japanese, Belgium, the United States, Egypt and
host nation Scotland.
The other teams for the 16-nation tournament on July 17-29 are Russia,
Chile, Wales, France and Zimbabwe. A 16th nation have not confirmed their
entry.
Nations who have already qualified for the 2002 World Cup from March 4-
16 are hosts Malaysia, defending champions Holland, Asian champions Korea,
European champions Germany, American champions Cuba, Australia, Pakistan
and England.
(END)

Good hosts, but what about the team?

11/12/2000

THE 2002 World Cup hockey tournament will be a showcase of organisation
because the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF), with help from the National
Sports Council (NSC), are masters of ceremonies.
Additional seats will be fitted at both hockey stadia in Bukit Jalil
and, no doubt, teams and officials from the 16 competing countries will
have the best food and accommodation.
But what about the national team? As seen at the Sydney Olympics, the
team have mastered the skills of defending but the forwards have not done
their bit.
Malaysia held eventual champions Holland 0-0; then fought tooth-and-nail
with Pakistan and were 1-0 up with only 37 seconds left on the clock but
Pakistan showed us that deadly forwards are what we need for points with a
smartly placed goal to snatch a draw.
Some may say Malaysia had a good outing at the Sydney Olympics but
history does not forgive mistakes, no matter in how many nano-seconds they
are made, and the records will forever show that we finished 11th in a 12-
team tournament.
Cynics will argue that that finishing second last has become a habit for
hockey these days.
Unlike soccer, the hockey team have been consistently qualifying for the
World Cup and Olympics but they have not returned with encouraging
results.
In fact, they finished 11th at the 1998 World Cup and also at the 1996
Atlanta Olympics. In the 1998 Asian Games, Malaysia finished fifth, one of
their worst showings in recent years.
In short, qualifying for the Olympics and World Cup cannot be the
standard set for future hockey teams.
But all is not lost, because the coaches and team managers are virtually
working around the clock to form a decent side with warnings to all in the
training squad that no individual is too big to be dropped if he does not
put his heart and soul into it.
Also MHF, wiser from past experiences, will come down hard on those who
quit national training without valid reasons. From now on, those who
withdraw from the squad without valid reasons will find themselves barred
from all MHF organised tournaments for 2001.
When Malaysia hosted the World Cup in 1975 on grass, we finished fourth.
So when the Cup makes a return in 2002, anything less will be deemed a
failure, no matter how many books have been written from praises lavished
on our organisational skills.
Centrehalves S. Kuhan, K. Keevan Raj and forward Suhaimi Ibrahim, who
are expected to rule this decade, shoulder a heavy burden. But this comes
with the job and they should start getting used to it by now.
The yardstick on our progress can be gauged in the Azlan Shah Cup next
year which will probably see Olympic champions Holland, Germany, India,
Pakistan and South Korea in action.
Even Australia, England and South Africa have written to MHF saying they
want a piece of the action as well. That should make the Azlan Shah
feature about half of the teams who will be taking part in the 2002 World
Cup.
Maybe the men in yellow will show us what they are made of in the
tournament.
In October 2001, when the National Juniors take part in the Junior World
Cup in Hobart, Tasmania, we will again get an early preview of what the
national team are capable of.
Chua Boon Huat, S. Shankar, Jiwa Mohan, Zaharin Zakaria, Mohamed Fairuz
Ramli, Redzuan Ponirin, Tajol Rosli and Mohamed Amin Rahim will be among
those seeing action in Hobart and these are some of the versatile players
that MHF have in their stables right now.
At the wink of an eye, the promising ones will also see action in the
2002 World Cup and this augurs well for the developemnt of hockey. For far
too long, we have been relying on the old horses, having time and again
recalled retired players to fill the vacuum in defence and attack.
And since the International Hockey Federation (FIH) have agreed to make
the 2002 World Cup a 16-team affair, the players must also be physically
fit to play more matches against the best in the world.
Malaysia have qualified by virtue of being hosts as have defending
champions Holland.
They will be joined by the five continental cup champions and another
nine teams from the qualifiers which will be played in Edinburgh, Scotland
on July 17-29.
MHF, realising Malaysia might find the going tough in the existing
system of four groups of four, where one defeat may spell the end of our
campaign, are pushing for a two-group format of eight teams, which means
the top four in each group will get another chance.
If this move is sanctioned by IHF, Malaysia are assured of a top eight
finish in 2002 and the fan support will be there in all the matches. But
let's not wait for a favour from IHF because we still have about two years
to prepare a potent side from our junior ranks.
Let's play the game in regulation time and not wait for EXTRA TIME or
sudden death to decide our fate in 2002.
(END)

Let the passion flow: City slicker Vijesh Rai picks Negri to win

15/10/2000

By Vijesh Rai

Timesport pick -- Lazarus Rokk (Negri Sembilan), Jugjet Singh (Negri Sembilan), S Navalan (Perak), Fazil Mahmud (Negri Sembilan), Hussin Rahman (Perak).

NEGRI Sembilan are not a great team. In fact, they are nowhere near being a great team and they may never beone but they certainly deserve their place in tonight's Malaysia Cup finaland they most certainly deserve to win it as well. Simply because Negri have tried, persevered and most importantly, daredand these are traits that are missing from the Malaysian game today. Add to that pride and passion and Negri have an impressive arsenal thateven the likes of mighty Selangor, with their present and pastinternationals, can't claim to have. Negri, as do all teams, crave success for it is the name of the game andit should be for winning, it is said, is everything and Negri certainlyknow about that. It is the approach however that matters. In their pursuit of honours, Negri spent as lavishly as the otherambitious sides the last few seasons but it brought them nothing butheartache as the silverware eluded them and when everything else failed,they decided to try it the traditional way. Out went most of the previous brigade and in came a virtually unknowncoach in Zaki Sheikh Ahmad and many players still wet behind the ears. The idea was to progress slowly but in taking this gamble, Negriunwittingly stumbled on the formula that has put them on the road tosuccess several years before they actually expected anything. Aware that his inexperienced side are lacking in many aspects, Zaki hasinculcated in them a love for the game, pride and passion. Moreimportantly, problems have been settled without the usual fanfare as theteam have always taken precedence to that of individual pursuits. Deep down in their hearts, Negri know that they trail Perak in most, ifnot all, departments but there is something different about them. The players, and this includes the likes of established stars like AzmanAdnan and Khairul Anuar Baharom, genuinely seem to want to win. There is nothing of the arrogance or cockiness that you tend to get inother silverware contenders and neither is there even a hint of blamingeveryone else but themselves when things go wrong. There has been no finger-pointing despite the intense pressure the teamcame under in Premier One and most of the players still can't believe theywill be playing in the Malaysia Cup final. For them, it is prestigious and something that they only dreamed offsince the days they kicked around for fun. And this is where Malaysian soccer on the whole stands to gain. Negri advancing to the final has, in the state at least, revived themagic of the Malaysia Cup and this is timely. The game is in danger and more teams like Negri, who were willing togive youngsters a chance, are needed if the national side are to get outof the rut they are in. Advancing to the final has put the underdogs one-up and if Negri wintonight, Zaki will become the first local coach since Chow Kwai Lam in1989 to win the Malaysia Cup. Negri to win it because they deserve it.

Eight is not enough

09/09/2000

IT WAS back in the glory days of grass hockey that Malaysia finished
eighth twice in the Olympics and then it was another eighth finish on the
artificial pitch of the 1976 Montreal Games in Canada.
In Tokyo in '64 Malaysia finished eighth among 16 teams and later in
Munich in 1972 we equalled the feat among 12 teams.
The '76 men had to fight tooth-and-nail not only with their mighty
opponents India, Australia, Canada, Holland and Argentina but also the
newly introduced artificial pitch which some teams found difficult to
master.
Especially so for Malaysia as there were no artificial pitches around
and were comfortable with grass as the fourth finish in the World Cup a
year earlier in Kuala Lumpur indicated.
The Malaysian Hockey Federation took the team on a two week training
stint to Paris and London to familiarise themselves with the artificial
pitch which forwards Poon Fook Loke, M. Mahendran and T. Pathmanathan
found tough to master.
"They could not hit as hard as they did on grass because on grass even
if you hit below the ball, the only damage will be a patch coming off but
on turf, the ball will not move more than a few yards.
"The forwards found this a stumbling block," said '76 skipper N. Sri
Shanmuganathan.
Sri Shan, a three-time Olympian, is best remembered for the goal he
scored against defending champions Holland to put them out of the
semifinals of the 1975 World Cup.
Veteran hockey fans who thronged the slopes surrounding the Kilat Club
ground, would vouch that they never saw another match as equally
mesmerising.
"The pressure on the 1976 Olympic team was tremendous as the Malaysian
public expected much after a good World Cup outing a year earlier.
"We knew the odds were stacked against us because we would be playing a
tournament for the first time on artificial pitch, but we still managed a
respectable finish," said Sri Shan.
In teaming up with A. Francis (now residing in West Germany), Sri Shan's
strength stems from his ability to sense an attack from the initial stages
of its build-up and then marshal his defence.
But during the opening match against Australia, the defence was under
tremendous pressure as the forwards failed to hold the ball and so
Malaysia went down 2-0.
Pressure was one thing that was abundant in Montreal.
A boycott by 22 mainly African countries in protest to a New Zeaand
rugby tour of apartheid South Africa marred the Games. Then there was
Canada's refusal to allow Taiwan to take part in the Games.
Tanzania's withdrawal robbed the public of watching 1,500m world record
holder Filbert Bayi in action.
The International Olympic Committee were so riled up that they
threatened to scrap the Games altogether.
Some wrote that "from a five-ring Games, Montreal turned out to be a
three-ring circus."
But in the end, all was well as Malaysia's flag bearer hurdler Ishtiaq
Mobarak led the contingent past the royal box of Queen Elizabeth on July
22, 1976.
The second match against Holland was equally depressing as the Dutch
gained revenge on the '75 defeat in Kuala Lumpur by hammering two goals
past the Malaysian defence.
Argentina were next and Malaysia went down 2-0 but then gained
confidence on turf to beat Canada 1-0.
One paper wrote: "So gloomy were the Games, that even the Queen of
England could not manage a smile."
But there were light memorable moments, for those who went hunting for
it that is.
The late Mansoor Rahman, a veteran sports editor who covered the '76
Games, wrote: "As usual, exchanging badges was a norm at the Games
Village. I exchanged one with a Canadian which read: Wear the badge the
correct way so that the Maple Leaf points upwards, in Canada, if you wear
the Maple Leaf hanging down it would indicate that you were pregnant."
India, too, struggled on turf and finished seventh. India, once the
masters of the game, won the last of their eight Olympic hockey golds at
the western-boycotted Moscow Games in 1980.
In Group A with defending champions Holland, 1992 champs Germany,
Pakistan, Canada and Britain at the Sydney 2000 Olympics - Malaysia don't
stand a chance of bettering their record safe for divine intervention.
'76 squad: Mohamed Azraal Zain, Khairuddin Zainal (goalkeepers), A.
Francis, N. Sri Shanmuganathan (skipper); Mohinder Singh, Wong Choon Hin,
S. Balasingam, N. Palanisamy, R. Ramakrishnan, M. Mahendran, Lam Kok Meng,
Poon Fook Loke, R. Patmarajah, Ow Soon Kooi, Wong Choon Hin, Avtar Singh,
Anthony Cruz.
(END)

Greener grass on the other side of Confucian fence

29/09/1999

A FLURRY of activities greet you as you walk down the corridors of Sekolah
Menengah Jenis Kebangsaan Confucian.
It was noon and the sun was blazing hot, but already cadets were busy
stomping and forming a line for inspection.
Scouts and Girl Guides in uniforms hopped about happily preparing for
the day while other club activities were also in full swing.
The sad part is that sport is almost non-existent, at least as far as
facilities are concerned.
Volleyball was the pride of the school six years ago but the
construction of a private school where the courts used to be stifled
interest.
The students at Confucian have never had a playing field and their only
pride is the basketball court - or rather half a court.
Sports secretary Y.M. Soo, beaming with pride, pointed out that although
they only have half a court for basketball, it has something no other
school in the country has - a fibre-glass panel.
"We are poor as far as sports facilities are concerned so we make the
best out of what we have," said Soo.
Basketball, volleyball, table-tennis and badminton have a large
following while field sports like cricket, soccer and hockey are played on
the students' own initiative.
"The students love to play soccer but we don't have a field. So they
find their own means. Sometimes, we request for friendlies with other
schools so that we can play at their ground."
The longing for a green is so evident in Soo's eyes.
The Confucian boys have become the whipping boys but it has never
deterred them from playing soccer.
Even to indulge in badminton is a luxury.
"We have an understanding with those who want to play badminton that
they book and pay for the halls and we reimburse them," said Soo.
In 1907, when the school was opened it was surrounded by greenery and
lots of space for expansion, but today it stands forlorn on a hillock amid
choking traffic fumes, with Pudu Raya behind and bustling Petaling Street
somewhat by the side.
"As recent as six years ago mention volleyball and Confucian and it sent
shivers down the spine of our opponents. But no longer. Now we have to
work our way from the bottom.
"We have placed the revival of volleyball top most on our list for this
year and hopefully, with the help of the Old Boys, we will have a good
team soon," said Soo.
The Malaysia Amateur Basketball Association (MABA) building and stadium
is a stone's throw from the school.
Maba send their project players to study at Confucian but since they
have their own training programmes in the evenings, they have no time to
play school-level basketball.
The Methodist Boys School (MBS) share the same wall with Confucian.
So when the end-of-school bell rang, some of the Confucian students,
waiting for transport to return home, could only take a peek and look with
envy at the lucky MBS boys who were busy playing a game of soccer on their
lush green pitch.
For the students of SM Confucian, the grass is definitely greener on the
other side of the fence.
(END)