Brazil blank out Malaysian hopes...

WORLD League fifth reserves Malaysia will miss the Olympics yet again, when Brazil upset Unites States in the quarter-finals of the Pan American Cup.

  Olympic hosts Brazil were set a target of finishing top-six in the Pan Am by the International Olympic Council (IOC) and the International Hockey Federation (FIH) -- and they held US 1-1 in regulation and beat them 3-1 in shoot-out to qualify.

  After the completion of the World League Semi-finals in Argentina and Belgium, the FIH had announced Canada as first reserves, followed by Spain, Ireland, New Zealand and Malaysia.

  The reserves would qualify based on double qualifications in Continental tournaments as well as if the hosts failed to finish top six, with a higher ranked team taking the first bite.

  Eight teams have already qualified for the Olympics, and this leaves only four more and fifth reserves Malaysia are out of the running.

  Teams which had already qualified are Asian Games Champions India, Brazil, and six World League teams in Germany, Netherlands, Argentina, Australia, Belgium and Britain.

  The four reserves would know their fate based on double qualifications in the Pan Am, the European Championships, and Oceania Cup.

  Even fourth reserves New Zealand are in a limbo, as their door only opens up if South Africa win the Africa Cup. This is because the South Africa Olympic Council had said that even if they win, they will not send a team to the Olympics because they did not qualify for the World League Semifinals.

  National Sports Institute director general Datuk Dr Ramlan Aziz summed it up when he said: "In any sports, the athlete or team must desire victory more than those who support them. So we need to embed the culture of seizing the opportunity by being in control and dictating matters."

  Malaysia lost control when they went crashing 3-2 to India in the quarterfinals stage in Belgium.

  The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) have already started looking for a foreign coach to prepare Malaysia for the 2020 Olympics, and president Datuk Sri Subahan Kamal had said before departing for Belgium: "To be fair, we just inherited this team and have given them all the support to give their best in the World League. But in the same breath, we are already looking and working towards the 2020 Olympics."

  For the record, Malaysia last played at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

KLHC want one back...

DOUBLE bridesmaid Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) will open their Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) campaign against nemesis Terengganu Hockey Team in the Charity Shield on Aug 2.
  And KLHA coach K. Dharmaraj is looking for at least one title, but its not the Charity Shield.
  "We have yet to train as a complete team but with help from five Pakistan and a German, I believe my outfit is ready to wrestle back at least one title from THT this season," said Dharmaraj.
  The Pakistani players are midfielders Waseem Ahmad and Fareed Ahmad and forwards Muhammad Umar Bhutta and Ali Shan. German forward Philipp Stahr, who played for Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) the last two years, will turn out for KLHA this season.
  "Muhammad Rizwan Senior was also initially slated to play for us, but he picked up an injury and will be replaced by another Pakistan player soon."
  On the local front KLHA have No 1 penalty corner flicker Razie Rahim.
  "Since I have the best penalty corner flicker in the country I decided not to sign a foreign flicker as Razie did a good job last season. Only that we were unlucky against THT," said Dharmaraj.
  In last season's League title decider, KLHC beat Terengganu 2-1 at Bukit jalil, but lost the away game 1-6 in Kuala Terengganu.
  And in the Overall  title final, after a 3-3 draw, THT won the shoot-out 2-1.
  "And since Terengganu still have the best locals again in their outfit, they will start as the favourites but we will not make it easy for them," said Dharmaraj.
  The other notable locals in KLHC are goalkeeper Roslan Jamaluddin, defender Shukri Mutalib and midfielder Nabil Fiqri.
  As for THT, they have until June 26 to sign their six foreign players, and coach Sarjit Singh is still keeping the cards close to his chest and said: "I can't release their names yet".
  THT's seven national players are goalkeeper Hafizuddin Othman, defender Azlan Misron, midfielders Shahrun Nabil and Fitri Saari and forwards Faizal Saari, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin and Firhan Ashaari.

Beng Hai placed in a grey spot...

NATIONAL chief coach Tai Beng Hai is still unsure of coaching Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) side Sapura this season.
  His contract with the national team expires end of July, while the MHL starts on Aug 1, but he is unsure if he will be allowed to coach a club side, if his contract with the national team is extended.
  "I am still not sure about my contract with the national team, and if it is extended, will I be allowed to coach a club side? Many questions have to be answered before I can comment on Sapura," said Beng Hai.
  In the meantime, Sapura are being handled by former national player Nishel Kumar.
  "Sapura and two other teams had wanted to secure Korean players for the MHL, but after Korea failed to qualify for the Olympics, almost half the team have been called up for national duty, and it looks like many teams will be playing with local players in the MHL this season," said Beng Hai.
  On the pros and cons of national coaches coaching club sides, Beng Hai said: "If national coaches are not allowed to coach clubs due to clauses in their contracts, can the other coaches continue with the same system because all the national players play in the MHL.
  "There should be continuity in the coaching system, and having said that, the Premier Division is only for six weeks and personally I feel we should be allowed to handle clubs.
  "I will wait for news on my contract, and the clause in it before I can decide on coaching Sapura."
  Beng Hai coached Sapura last season, but then, he was not the national seniors coach.
  National juniors coach Arul Selvaraj does not have a similar problem, because his contract allows him to coach a club side. Arul has been coaching UniKL as well as the juniors.
  The MHL will have six teams this season, with double champions Terengganu Hockey Team the team to beat, while the other's are Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club, Sapura, Maybank, UniKL and Tenaga Nasional.
  THT coach Sarjit Singh said he is trying to secure five top foreign players: "Since the closing date to sign foreign players is July 26, I'm still negotiating with five top players and it looks promising. I can't reveal their nationality, sufficient to say they are calibre players and will help THT defend their double."

Drag-flicker to drag UniKL into semis...

UNIKL Young Guns are aiming for a semi-finals spot in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) which will begin on Aug 1.
  And to achieve their target, they are in the midst of hiring a foreign drag-flicker.
  With only six teams in the Premier Division, UniKL who finished sixth last season, will be jostling for the semis with double champions Terengganu Hockey Team, Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club, Sapura, Tenaga Nasional and Maybank.
  UniKL coach Arul Selvaraj will be banking on four national players who played in the recently concluded World League Semifinals in Antwerp.
  "All four of them (Haziq Samsul, Baljit Singh, Izwan Firdaus, Meor Azuan) had an exceptional tournament and will be out main players this season. We hope to break into the semi-finals circle, it wont be easy, but we are ready to give our best," said Arul.
  Arul, who is also Project 2016 coach, has roped in 10 from the Junior World Cup trainees to play for UniKL.
  Players like Sufi Ismat, Zul Pidaus Mizun, Maxhans Christi, Ashran Hamsani, Azwar Rahman, Najmi Farizal, Nor Azrul and Ezry Mustafa will turn out for UniKL, and will also represent Malaysia in the Junior Asia Cup in Kuantan in November.
  "We are also in the midst of signing up two foreign players, but I can't name them yet because negotiations are ongoing. All I can say is that one if from South Africa and the other from Germany.
  "And one of them is a penalty corener drag flicker. We won many penalty corners, even against the best teams in the MHL last season, but our conversion rate was very low and thats why we finished last.
  "Hopefully, if we manage to sign the foreign drag flicker, things will chance for the better," said Arul.
  For the record, last season saw UniKL bundled out of the quarter-finals stage for the sixth-year running.

Terengganu keep foreign signing under wraps..

MALAYSIA hockey League double champions Terengganu HT have signed the best national players in the country, and are now looking for at least four quality foreign players to defend their title starting Aug 1.
  Terengganu HT coach Sarjt Singh, however, is still keeping the foreign signing close to his heart.
  "We signed five Koreans last year but they are not available because the MHL clashes with their domestic league. I have approached players from another country and am in the midst of securing their contracts.
  "All I can say right now is that they are good players, and will be helpful in defending both our titles," said Sarjit Singh.
  Flushed with money, Sarjit has the choice of signing the best local talent as well.
  Sarjit said that although they can sign up six foreign players but
he would only register four import players to give more playing time to locals
  “We have enough quality local players and so, I want to give them more chance to play in the MHL as we cannot be relying on foreign players for ever to win the titles,” said Sarjit.
   Terengganu have seven national players - goalkeeper Hafizuddin Othman, defender Azlan Misron, midfielders Shahrun Nabil and Fitri Saari and forwards Faizal Saari, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin and Firhan Ashaari.
  All except Fitri featured in the World League Semi-finals in Antwerp, Belgium.
   Terengganu HC's three ex internationals are defender Engku
Malek, midfielder Jivan Mohan and forward Ismail Abu.
  Sarjit said they have also included juniors, who will be playing in
Sukma (Malaysia Games) in Sarawak next year.
  Last season, Terengganu HC lost the first leg final 2-1 to Kuala Lumpur HC, but romped home 6-1 in the return leg to lay their hands on the League title for the first time after  making their MHL debut in 2013. They also beat KLHC 2-1 in the penalty shoot-out for the Overall title, after a 3-3 regulation time draw.
  Only six teams will feature in the Premier League. The teams are double champions Terengganu HC, Tenaga Nasional, Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC), Maybank, Sapura and Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL).
  However, there is an increase in both the Division One and Women's League.
  There will be 13 teams in Division One, an increase from 11 teams in 2014, and 11 teams in the Women's League, a rise from seven teams last year.