Six Malaysians venture overseas

MALAYSIAN players (in yellow, from Left) S. Selvaraju, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin, Kelvinder Singh and Jivan Mohan.
NATIONAL hockey players are making full use of the lull in Malaysia to play in leagues in Germany, Holland, Australia and New Zealand.
“A total of six players are of will be playing in overseas league, and this augurs well for the future of the sport,” said National Sports Council elite development office Ariffin Ghani.
S. Selvaraju and Baljit Singh are currently in Germany, Jiwa Mohan in Australia; while Chua Boon Huat will head for New Zealand, and Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin and Jivan Mohan to the Netherlands.
“We are working with the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) to expose more players by playing in overseas leagues, as they have an important assignment in the Asia Cup next year,” said Ariffin.
The Asia Cup will be held in Dubai next year, and it offers three direct entries into the 2010 New Delhi World Cup. Malaysia, Japan, China, South Korea, India and Pakistan, will joined by Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) Cup winner Bangladesh and runners-up Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup.
Tengku and Jivan will be playing in Division One outfit Hilversum Amsterdam, and the duo together with Selvaraju and Baljit will join the national team for the Hamburg Masters on Oct 3-5.
Malaysia will be up against Germany, Belgium and Pak istan in the Masters.
The players are expected to return on time for the Malaysia Hockey League, which starts on Oct 10.
Meanwhile, Ariffin also said plans to hire South Korean coach Kim Sang Ryul is still at the blueprint stage.
“I did meet him in Beijing just before China (whom Kim was coaching) played Germany and did not have the time to approach him for a confirmation,” said Ariffin.
Kim, if he accepts the offer, will be appointed as a consultant to the national juniors and seniors.

Asia Cup top-two finish target

NATIONAL hockey coach Sarjit Singh is looking for a direct entry into the 2010 New Delhi World Cup, and the aim is a top-two finish in the Asia Cup in Dubai, next year.
The National team is practically ‘jobless’ this year, with only the Hamburg Masters in Germany and the Malaysia Hockey League to look forward to. But next year, they will be on a do-or-die mission.
“Germany has invited us for the Hamburg Masters in October, where the other teams will be Pakistan and Belgium. It will be good to play against the Olympic champions (Germany) again,” said Sarjit yesterday.
Malaysia were grouped together with Germany in the Olympic Qualifiers in Japan, and the national team lost 3-0 in the pool match.
Germany, who beat Japan for the only ticket to Beijing from the qualifier, went on the lift the Olympics title when they edged Spain 1-0 in the final.
“Qualifiers are becoming increasingly difficult, as even India and Argentina failed in their respective pools for the Olympics.
“That is why I will work towards an automatic ticket, by playing in the final of the Asia Cup,” said Sarjit.
Dubai will host Malaysia, Japan, China, South Korea, India and Pakistan, who will joined by Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) Cup winner Bangladesh and runners-up Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup.
The AHF tournament has three reserved tickets to the World Cup, which means, Malaysia must beat Pakistan, Japan and China to the race. India have qualified as hosts, while South Korea are a class above.
HAMBURG MASTERS FIXTURES — Oct 3: Pakistan v Belgium, Malaysia v Germany. Oct 4: Malaysia v Pakistan, Belgium v Germany. Oct 5: Belgium v Malaysia, Pakistan v Germany.

Avril makes a lasting impression

KUALA LUMPUR: All the fuss over Canadian teen pop-rock star Avril Lavigne's concert proved com- pletely unfounded as she belted out a measured performance at Stadium Merdeka last night.
It was a pop concert all right, with no element of a rowdy punk-rock performance as feared by some quarters who had objected to her coming here.
PAS Youth leaders had criticised the timing of the concert, claiming that the culture Lavigne promoted was not appropriate especially so close to Merdeka Day.
But all that steam was lost in the night as Lavigne entertained the estimated 15,000 crowd with songs from her three albums, bursting into life in typical fashion for several hit numbers.
There were many who stood in raincoats to watch the star do her thing. Among those who turned up was Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne who is from Parti Keadilan Rakyat.
Lavigne was dressed casually in jeans and a black T-shirt as she took to the stage with her first song Girlfriend, and only had one costume change, into a grey T-shirt, in the one-and-a-half-hour show. -- THE STAR
The crowd remained excited throughout, singing and dancing along to Lavigne's entire 17-song set.

Team and venue both in shambles

THE 2004 Rotterdam Junior World Cup venue. Malaysia, who finished 10th in Rotterdam, have yet to get their act together to host the 2009 edition.

WITH only 10 months to the Junior World Cup, hosts Malaysia are still groping in the dark, on and off the pitch.
Johor will co-host the tournament with Singapore on June 7-21 next year, but up till today, Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) affiliates are still in the dark about preparations to host it.
Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) had promised the International Hockey Federation (FIH) two new pitches, as Johor will host 10 teams, while Singapore another 10 for the World Cup.
But till today, MHF affiliates have yet to be briefed about the status of the stadiums, and efforts to raise at least RM2 million to cover organising costs.
The FIH awarded Malaysia as hosts on Nov 14 last year, with MHC deputy president Tunku Majid Sultan Iskandar and Singapore Hockey
Federation president Annabell Dhillon appointed as co-chairmen of the
Junior World Cup organising committee.
“Penang came seeking answers during the last Council meting (on Aug 16) but our deputy president Tunku Majid was absent again, and we left with more questions than answers.
“It was the third Council meeting in a row which Tunku Majid failed to attend, and so the Council has instructed Johor to make a full presentation on the Junior World Cup in our next meeting on Sept 20,” said Penang HA secretary Ranjit Singh.
Ranjit hopes Johor will come with answers: “Right now, it looks like Malaysia are heading to what could turn out to be an embarrassing situation.
“We only have 10 months to build new stadiums, and source for at least RM2 million to cover organising costs.
“The MHF, at present, are still paying the RM1 million debt we went into after organising the Champions Trophy, and are in no position to fall again,” said Ranjit.
Singapore, on the other hand, are all set to host the tournament and the co-hosts are said to be as jittery as MHF affiliates, as Malaysia have not even reached the planning stage yet.
On the team, the juniors drew 2-2 with Singapore in the Junior Asia Cup, and the MHF have entrusted Tenaga Nasional coach K. Rajan to whip-up a respectable outfit, after V. Muraleedharan resigned.
The players were blooded in the Razak Cup, and will now play as an outfit in Division One of the Malaysia Hockey League which starts on Oct 10.

Five years for slapping umpire

THE Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) Disciplinary Board slapped Selangor Razak Cup player Rohizan Ramli with a five-year ban after finding him guilty of slapping an umpire.
The incident happened during the Division Two final of the Razak Cup on Aug 9, between Penang and Selangor, which Penang eventually won 3-2.
“The DB, chaired by Datuk G. Vijayanathan, felt that the player went overboard when he slapped an umpire, and then tried to hit him with a hockey stick. That is why he was slapped with a lengthy ban,” said MHF secretary Sgt Hashim Yusoff.
The incident happened in the last minute of regulation time, when Selangor’s Rohizan Ramli harassed umpire Syed Harun after he blew for a penalty corner.
Syed flashed a yellow card to Rohizan, who then slapped the umpire, and swung his stick which missed by inches.
The 46th Razak Cup also saw a record of sorts, as five red cards were flashed in nine days.
Among those who received the red card, was former International K. Gobinathan. Gobi, who turned out for Perak, verbally abused an umpire, and was immediately banned fot two matches.
The National Juniors also took part as an outfit in the Razak Cup, and there were moments of indiscipline which disrupted their matches.
“I have spoken to some of the players who argued with umpires during the Razak Cup, and told them that I will not tolerate it anymore.
“Indiscipline will not be tolerated during our preparations for the Junior World Cup next year. I will show the door to any player who feels he is bigger than the sport,” said National Juniors coach K. Rajan.