Holding back aces for Chennai Asian Champions Trophy...

 

By Jugjet Singh

jugjet@nst.com.my

MALAYSIA as well as other Asian teams are expected to hold back their firepower at the Chennai Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) which is just five weeks away from the Asian Games.

  The Chennai ACT will be held on Aug 3-12 and offers teams a chance to spar before the Asian Games, but Malaysian coach Arul Selvaraj see danger in exposing too much.

   "We will play the same teams in the ACT as well as Asian Games and there is a danger in revealing too much, especially in penalty corners, as both the tournaments are just five weeks apart.

  "The Asian Games is the end target as it offers the champion a place in the 2024 Olympics which we are gunning for right now. So, the AHF (Asian Hockey Federation) could have selected a better date for the ACT," said Arul.

  The usual suspects Malaysia, India, South Korea, Japan, China and Pakistan will play in both the ACT and Asian Games looking for glory in Asiad as it offers the highest prize in the world of hockey.

  Towards the Asian Games, the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) have brought in Australian Olympians Glenn Turner and Kieran Govers on an ad-hoc basis, the most recent being on June 9, with more sessions planned until the team departs for the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

  Malaysia will head for South Korea for 10 days on June 18-28, instead of Europe, as the ACT announcement threw a spanner in their schedule.

   "Malaysia are 10th while South Korea one rung above us and playing them will be good.

  "We had to cancel the Europe Tour (playing Belgium, Germany and Spain) because of the late Chennai ACT dates announcement," said Arul.

ends/

BACK IN ACTION.....

 Finally got back my blog today after a long battle,

  Will post regularly again, Have a nice day

I. Vickneswaran: New KLHA deputy president

 Former International I. Vikneswaran made his entry as deputy president with a 20-12 win over incumbent S. Samson 

Megat: New KLHA president

By Jugjet Singh
jugjet@nst.com.my


DATUK Megat D. Shahriman Zaharudin (pictute) and his team made a clean sweep of the Kuala Lumpur HA elections Saturday, signalling an exciting period for grassroots development.
  Newly minted president Megat is a kick-ass kind of person who does not hide his emotions, and if one is not used to his sincere comments, one would consider him outright offensive.
  But he has not only brought a new team into KLHA, but loads of ideas as well as cash to bail out the sinking KLHA coffers.
  Megat beat incumbent Datuk Abu Huraira Yazid 21-11.
  Former International I. Vikneswaran made his entry as deputy president with a 20-12 win over incumbent S. Samson 
  The vice-presidents voted in are Faris Mustafa (26 votes), Wan Faizal Ismail (23), Hezibah Sudin (23), S. Vigneswaran (22), Meor Shahril Saarani (17).
  Incumbent vice-president K. Maheswari withdrew before elections.
  V. Muthu Kannu turned into the biggest giantkiller when he won unopposed over 30-year KLHA secretary V. Rajamanickam.
  And the new secretary did not even have to go through the ballot, as Rajamanickam withdrew minutes before the elections started.
  Treasurer Daljit Singh had won unopposed when nominations closed.
  "I would like to thank the outgoing president and his men and with this new team I hope to bring some positive chances in junior development at the KLHA Stadium.
  "And since we owe much money to DBKL (City Hall), we will meet with them soon to settle some of the issues.
  "Otherwise, we have to hold our first meeting first before I can lay out my future plans for Kuala Lumpur," said Megat.
  KLHA have the mist active league in the country but their cash flow has been horrible over the years and they are up to their eye-ball in debt.
  And the team which took over this hockey hot-seat of the nation came in with their eyes open and know what they are going to face.

V. Muthu Kannu: New KLHA secretary

MUTHU.. Giant slayer as incumbent secretary V. Rajamanickam withdrew from contesting minutes before the Kuala Lumpur HA elections.