Selangor looking good for 33rd title

Malaysia Cup The HMS Malaya Cup— as this soccer competition was originally called— was inaugurated on 1 October 1921, when the captain of a British battleship, HMS Malaya, presented two trophies to commemorate rugby and soccer matches played during the battleship’s stay in Malayan waters in 1920.

By Jugjet Singh
jugjet@nst.com.my


SUPER League holders Selangor have been drawn in a relatively easy group, and finishing top-two in the first round of the Malaysia Cup should be a breeze.
Selangor, with 32 Malaysia Cup titles under their belt, were drawn in Group D together with Terengganu T-Team, Perlis and KL Felda United at a function held at Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya yesterday.
T-Team ended seventh, while Perlis were a lowly 12th in the Super League, while Felda United were champions in the Premier League.
The main draw was conducted by newly elected deputy president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, after which he delivered a stern warning Malaysia Cup coaches and managers.
“The Malaysia Cup is highly respected not only in Malaysia, but also this region for being run in a professional manner. And that is why coaches and managers from the 16 teams must show their best side by not being overly critical of the administration, umpires and technical officials,” said Tengku Abdullah.
On his vision for FAM: “I am not a new official, but a recycled one. And so my vision right now is to get all the facts together and then come up with a new vision in a short time.
“I will not tear down the house and build a new one, but build on and improve the existing infrastructure so that the Malaysian football team will once again be feared in this region,” said Tengku Abdullah.
The First Round of the Malaysia Cup will start on Sept 14, on a home-and-away basis where the top-two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals.
The final will be held on Oct 30 at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
Selangor, who won the Charity Shield and then defended their League title, will be going for a double treble in the Malaysia Cup.
However, their last taste of glory at this stage was in 2005 when they beat Perlis 3-0 in the final.
“I would not say that we have easy opponents because the Malaysia Cup always brings out the best in all teams. However, finishing among the top-two in our group and advancing to the quarter-finals is within our reach,” said a cautious assistant coach P. Maniam.
Except for national trainee Bunyamin Umar, the other key Selangor players are injury-free to make a dash for their 33rd Malaysia Cup title.
GROUP A: Kelantan, Negri Sembilan, Kuala Lumpur Plus FC, Selangor PKNS.
GROUP B: Terengganu, Pahang, Kuala Lumpur, Sabah.
GROUP C: Johor FC, Kedah, Perak, Armed Forces.
GROUP D: Selangor, Terengganu T-Team, Perlis, KL Felda United.

NPC Media Run almost fleeced

PIC: New Straits Times Sports Journalist Ajitpal Singh (number 014) crossing the line at the NPC 1Malaysia Media Run.

THERE is money in sweat, and some rogue event management companies of marathons know how to squeeze blood out of innocent organisers.
The National Press Club (NPC) held its second Media Run on Sunday, and were almost fleeced in the process.
The first run cost the NPC a total of RM3,800 to organise from start to finish, and the event managers were among the best in the country, and it was run in a flawless manner.
However, the second edition almost turned into a night mare, when the first event managers could not commit themselves and introduced a new company.
And the first costing NPC received from the new company was a whopping RM36,500!
Consider this, the NPC run was only looking to cater for 300 runners, which is a modest number going by the thousands that compete in major events across the country every month.
Then there are many other medium sized runs every Sunday, where the numbers are anywhere from 500 to 1,000 runners.
When the NPC asked for a second quotation, the said company cut it down from RM36,500 to RM8,750.
Not satisfied, NPC scouted around and found a Hash run organiser who was willing to organise the whole event for RM5,700.
It was still higher that last year, but being short in time, the NPC expected the offer and the run turned out to be just as professionally run.
A total of 250 runners turned up at the NPC clubhouse at the back of Dataran Merdeka. The Five-km run was flagged off by main sponsor A. Thevasagayam, a businessman, and it took participants around the scenic, but gruelling, uphill route around the Kuala Lumpur Lake Gardens.
Media members turned up in force and even the portly ones completed the route. However, the interesting entries in the Open category came from a group of 20 Indian boys who looked every-bit like what marathon runners should be -- lean and long-legged.
The young boys set a blistering pace from the start and disappeared in the horizon in a jiffy, leaving the other categories to run at their own pace.
Naturally the boys from that group claimed all the top spots in the Open category, and when asked, they said they are from a certain running club and train regularly for marathons.
The young boys looked like they could run the middle and long distance races with ease, and given proper training their times could also dip further.
Malaysia used to dominate the middle and long distance track events in the past, but sad to say, we have lost that grip even at the Sea Games level.
So, one wonders why the Malaysian Amateur Athletics Association (MAAU) is finding it difficult to find and train this distance group, when we have so many of them running on our streets every weekend.

Press Club aims to make run annual event

KUALA LUMPUR: More than 250 participants of all ages and races joined in the 1Malaysia National Press Club 2010 run organised by the National Press Club (NPC) yesterday.
The 5.6km run, held for the second time, saw contestant K. Thiagu winning the Open Men Media category, arriving at the finish line in 30 minutes and 33 seconds.
The Open Women Media category was won by Norlizawati Yahya, who clocked in after 55 minutes and 53 seconds while S. Chantiran and Maznah Abu Bakar won the Men Veteran Media and Women Veteran Media categories in 33 minutes and 14 seconds; and 58 minutes and 14 seconds, respectively.
The Open Men category was bagged by M. Murali, who clocked in at 24 minutes and eight seconds. The Open Women category was won by Andrea Kovacs with 30 minutes and the Veteran Men category went to M. Karmukilan with 26 minutes and 46 seconds while the Women Veteran category was won by Lai Yook Chiang with the record of 32 minutes and three seconds.
NPC deputy president, Joe Fernando said the run was organised to foster closer relationship between the media and the public as well as promote healthy living through sporting activities.
"We have plans to make this run an annual programme for the club, judging from the good response we have been getting.
"Those who participated today (yesterday) are made up of avid runners as well as representatives of various media agencies," said Fernando.

Van Huizen ready for all-weather

NATIONAL hockey coach Stephen van Huizen has decided on the Commonwealth Games team composition after playing matches in China and Australia.
However, he will leave it to the Malaysian Hockey Fed eration (MHF) to decide if they want to stick to their decision of sending a mixed team to New Delhi, while the best in Malaysia will be rested for the Asian Games.
“After playing matches in China and Australia, I have a clearer picture on the team’s capabilities. I was told by MHF to prepare a mixed team (of youth and seniors) for the Commonwealth Games because the main target is to do well in the Asian Games.
“However, if there are any changes in the plan, I am ready for it,” said van Huizen.
In New Delhi Malaysia are in a virtually hopeless situation as they have been grouped with defending champions Australia, Pakistan, India and Scotland.
In Group B are England, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and Trinidad & Tobago.
The Asian Games draw has yet to be done by the Asian Hockey Federation.
The Commonwealth Games does not offer a ticket to anywhere, while a gold medal in the Asian Game is a direct entry to the 2012 London Olympics.
And the MHF president Tengku Ahmad Sultan Ahmad Shah had stressed in their last council meeting that the target is a gold medal in the Asian Games.
Van Huizen and his men will next head for France to play in a Five-Nation involving France, Ireland, Poland and Scot land.
“It (gold) has always been our target, and it will be the same for the other teams in the Asian Games as well. Our highest achievement in the Asian Games to date is bronze and we will again have to beat higher ranked teams like South Korea, Pakistan and India to achieve the set target.
“And if we fail, we will have to go through a qualifier where there will again be a higher ranked team than us to beat.
“In short, we are working towards an Asian Games gold, but it will not be easy,” said Van Huizen.
And in the qualifier, Malaysia might eventually end up playing teams like France, Poland and Ireland.
“England as hosts are automatic for the Olympics, and the battle in Europe will be among countries like Spain, Nether lands, Germany and Belgium. And those who don’t qualify from this group might just end up in our group.
“So, that is why the Five-Nation in France is also an important tournament for us to pit our strength against possible qualifier opponents.”
When in Europe from the middle of August, Malaysia will also play friendly matches against Germany, while matches against other strong teams are still being discussed.

Aussies in a mean mood

World Champions Australia smashed New Zealand 9-1, Netherlands defeated pain 5-2 and Germany beat England 4-0. Tomorrow Australia face the Netherlands, England and Spain compete for their first points and Germany clash New Zealand.
Germany beat England 4-2 in the opening match
Germany are the first leaders of the table. The hosts left England no chances in the opening match and beat them 4-2 (4-0) due to their great performance in the first half.
GER v NED 4-2 (4-0)
1-0 5’ Oscar DEECKE (FG)
2-0 28’ Jan-Marco MONTAG (PC)
3-0 32’ Martin HÄNER (PC)
4-0 35+1’ Benjamin WESS (PC)
4-1 45’ Ashley JACKSON (PC)
4-2 65’ Ashley JACKSON (PC)

Australia smash New Zealand 9-1
New Zealand are 18 Champions Trophy games without a victory after getting smashed by their neighbours from Australia. Jason WILSON has scored two goals in his Champions Trophy debut.

Jamie DWYER opened the score in the third minute, he had never scored that early in a Champions Trophy encounter. Afterwards New Zealand gave Australia as less space as possible which made it very hard for the Kookaburras to enter the Black Sticks’ circle. It took up to the 26th minute until Australia scored again: Luke DOERNER made the first of his two goals in this match. Immediately after the push-back Jason WILSON made it 3-0 and four minutes later Simon ORCHARD even increased the lead. The Black Sticks did not give up and fought back. The hopes coming back to New Zealand after Nicholas WILSON’s goal did not last long because Australia answered just before the half time whistle.
The Kookaburras kept up their pace, scored phenomenal goals and frustrated their neighbours with four more goals in the second half.

AUS v NZL 9-1 (5-1)
1-0 3’ Jamie DWYER (FG)
2-0 26’ Luke DOERNER (PC)
3-0 27’ Jason WILSON (FG)
4-0 31’ Simon ORCHARD (FG)
4-1 33’ Nicholas WILSON (FG)
5-1 34’ Glenn TURNER (FG)
6-1 (54’) Jason WILSON (FG)
7-1 (59’) Russell FORD (PC)
8-1 (62’) Luke DOERNER (PC)
9-1 (67’) Russell FORD (FG)

Netherlands take 5-2 victory over Spain

The Netherlands beat Spain in Ramon ALEGRE’ 200th cap. They are second now and overtook Germany due to the better goal difference.

NED v ESP 5-2 (4-1) 1-0 (10’) Jeroen HERTZBERGER (FG) 1-1 (11’) Pau QUEMADA (FG) 2-1 (25’) Jeroen HERTZBERGER (FG) 3-1 (31’) Mink van der WEERDEN (PC) 4-1 (33’) Teun de NOOIJER (FG) 4-2 (36’) David ALEGRE (FG) 5-2 (55’) Rogier HOFMAN (FG)