Nominate with head, not heart: Fook Loke

THE Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) biennial election nominations close this Saturday, but until yesterday there has only been a trickle of entries.
It is common knowledge, that the states are still holding their favourite candidates close to their chests, and some will only fax in the nomination papers at the 11th-hour.
“Nominations close at noon on Saturday, after which we will release it to the press,” said MHF secretary Sgt Hashim Yusoff.
States are still confused with the signal sent out by their presidential hopeful Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad, as he has yet to confirm nor deny that he is interested to become the next president.
Incumbent president Tan Sri Admiral (rtd) Anwar Mohd Nor and his deputy Tunku Majid Sultan Iskandar have also been non-committal, with both agreeing that the man which gets the highest number of nominations will helm MHF for another term.
However, many including Datuk Poon Fook Loke, believe that states should select someone who is willing to work, as there is not much money left in the MHF coffers, while the team is ranked a miserable 15th in the world.
“States have to select candidates who have a passion for hockey, and only then can some repair be done to the Federation as well as the hockey team.
“Only two more days are left for them to decide on their candidates, and my advise to them is to think carefully, as hockey is in a bad state today, and work is cut out for those who are elected on Nov 1,” said Fook Loke.
When Fook Loke was playing hockey on grass, Malaysia ended fourth in the 1975 Kuala Lumpur World Cup, and he is has been on the MHF selection committee since 1997, and has held many other posts in the Federation.
“When we started planning for the 2005 (Rotterdam) Junior World Cup, it was an uphill task as there were not many promising juniors then. But the 2005 team has now matured and played in many other international tour naments, but the problem is still the same, as we do not have capable juniors anymore.
“Only those committed to hockey should be elected, and even then, it will be many years more of hard work before we can see results,” said Fook Loke.

Juniors yet to show promise

THE National Juniors have been far from impressive in their Malaysia Hockey League Division One debut, and a pale shadow of themselves compared to how they performed in the Razak Cup.
Malaysia and Singapore will co-host the Junior World Cup on June 7-21 next year which leaves coach K. Rajan with only nine months to whip the team into shape.
“Yes, there is a drastic drop in form in the two matches they have played, but there is nothing to worry because I do not have the best (players) with me,” said Rajan. “Eight of my better players are with other MHL teams, and I am giving everyone in my team a chance to play so that I can have a good picture at the end of the MHL.
“Fitness, overall, is still not at best but I am confident they will be ready when we host the World Cup.”
In their opening encounter, the Juniors lost 3-1 to Tenaga Nasional in a match they should have wrapped up if not for blowing a handful of open chances.
Against Maybank, the Juniors were at their worst and looked lost when presented with opportunities, and not surprisingly, lost 3-2.
Rajan has more than 30 players in training but will trim the squad after the MHL.
“After giving all of them a fair chance in the MHL, I will drop those who consistently under-perform and by Jan, I will have the best with me and will then start whipping them into shape,” Rajan added.
The MHL is only two matches old but already it looks like in Division One, only Sapura and Tenaga Nasional have enough firepower to stop League champions Ernst & Young from claiming their maiden MHL double.
Fixtures — Oct 31 — Division One: Sapura v Tenaga Nasional (KLHA Stadium, 7pm), Maybank v Ernst & Young (Seremban II Stadium, 5pm), National Juniors v Nur Insafi (National Stadium Pitch I, 7pm).
Division Two: Alam Shah School v Bandar Penawar SS (National Stadium Pitch II, 7pm), UiTM v Border Forces Club (Pandamaran Stadium, 5pm), Royal Malay Regiment v UNIMAP (Tun Razak Stadium, 7pm), JLJD v Dolphins (Tun Razak Stadium, 9pm).

Ernst & Young edge Sapura

LEAGUE champions Ernst & Young struggled before col lecting three points in their 2-1 win against Sapura in Division One of the Malaysia Hockey League yesterday.
Ernst & Young, who hammered Nur Insafi 10-0 in their MHL curtain raiser on Friday, failed to live up to ex pectations, especially in the first 20 minutes of the second half.
Baljit Singh gave Ernst & Young, who are virtually the national team, some breathing space when he converted a 35th minute penalty corner.
But after the hooter, the seasoned players in Sapura dominated, and snatched an equaliser in the 55th minute off their South Korean import Kim Jung Chul.
Ernst & Young were under tremendous pressure after that, but Kelvinder Singh snatched the winner with a 63rd minute deflection.
In another Division One match, TNB Cup champions Tenaga Nasional edged Nur Insafi 3-1.
Tenaga got their goals off Fazreen Ekhsan ( 12th), Tajol Rosli (34th) and Amin Rahim (65th). Mamunur Rahman (32nd) and Prem Kumar (69th), both India imports, scored for Nur Insafi.
Ernst & Young team manager George Koshy was a relieved man: “It was a close game because the heavy rain made the pitch heavy, and it did not suit my players who are fast with the ball.
“But then, the three points took us closer to defending our League title, so no complaints,” said George.
Former international K. Embaraj, said his team played in patches.
“I was a good and entertaining hockey match, with the firsthalf dominated by E&Y but we came back strongly after the breather. I believe we will get better as the League progresses,” said Embaraj.
RESULTS -- Division One: Tenaga Nasional 3 Nur Insafi 2, National Juniors 2 Maybank 3, Ernst & Young 2 Sapura 1.
Division Two: Bandar Panawar SS 5 UNIMAP 0, Dolphins 1 Bukit Jalil SS 1, JLJD 2 Alam Shah School 3, Border Forces Club 1 Royal Malay Regiment 4.


STANDINGS


DIVISION ONE
P W D L F A Pts
Ernst & Young 2 2 0 0 12 1 6
Tenaga 2 2 0 0 6 3 6
Maybank 2 1 0 1 4 4 3
Sapura 2 1 0 1 2 4 3
National Juniors 2 0 0 2 3 6 0
Nur Insafi 2 0 0 2 2 13 0



DIVISION TWO


P W D L F A Pts
Bandar Penawar 2 2 0 0 10 3 6
Alam Shah 2 2 0 0 9 4 6
Malay Regiment 2 1 0 1 4 4 3
Bukit Jalil 2 1 1 0 4 1 3
Dolphins 2 0 2 0 4 4 2
UiTM 1 0 1 0 3 3 1
JLJD 2 0 0 2 5 8 0
Border Forces 2 0 0 2 3 10 0
UNIMAP 1 0 0 1 0 5 0

Tengku Abdullah remains elusive

THEY came with high hopes, but went home with more questions than answers when Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad did not make a concrete stand, and neither did he name his first-11 for the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) elections on Nov 1.
Tengku Abdullah listened attentively, and also took notes, when he allowed everyone in the 50-strong quorum made up of state delegates, MHF incumbents, former internationals and former sports writers to state their views in a forum-like atmosphere yesterday.
But in the end, when his turn came to make a stand, Tengku Abdullah said: “I have positions in many sports associations and very little time to spare, so I offer myself as a Royal Patron to the MHF.
“I have not made up my mind on becoming the president, but if all of you feel that there should be changes in the MHF, look for an alternative, and if there is no one, you can look me up again. That is as fair a judgement I can make today.”
There was confusion in the room, as Tengku Abdullah’s statement was open to many interpretations.
In his opening remark, the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang revealed that former MHF president Sultan Azlan Shah was the first to suggest that he helm the MHF.
“The first to suggest to me that I become president was Sultan Azlan Shah when we met recently, but I just kept quiet because I did not think anything about it. But then, he sent a message through someone asking me to consider the po sition.
“I have yet to make up my mind, and even if I do say yes, I will need help from everyone to start the grassroots moving again.
“The present president and deputy president have run the organisation in their own way, and so I am not ‘jual mahal’ (playing hard to get). I am shallow in hockey, unlike soccer, and I do not want to disappoint all if I fail to live up to your expectations,” saif Tengku Abdullah.
All the states were represented at the dialogue, but none came with any constructive ideas on how to help hockey and to bring in more money.
The states were more sore with the parent body for not providing grants, as their coffers were also empty, and no development could be carried out.
And those who were expecting Tengku Abdullah to take out his magic wand and shower them with funds, went home the most disappointed.
Nominations close on Oct 25, and candidates have until Oct 29 to withdraw from the race. But after yesterday’s no stand from Tengku Abdullah, the first to pull out was Kuala Lumpur HA’s nominee for the secretary’s post, Johnson Fernandez.

Ernst & Young hammer 10 past Nur Insafi

LEAGUE Champions Ernst & Young got off to a rousing start in
deffence their title when they hammered Penang-Nur Insafi 10-0 in
Division One of the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) yesterday. The match, played at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit
Jalil, was a one-sided affair from the first whistle, and Ernst &
Young, with 12 national players in their fold, scored at will. Nur Insafi had nine import players, seven from India and two
from Bangladesh, but the foreign legion were a lost lot. The
Penang team were forced to defend for the majority of the match,
and are expected to face another torrid time against Tenaga
Nasional tomorrow. Ismail Abu opened the floodgates in the second minute and went
on to nothch his hat-trick with goals in the 30th and 47th
minutes, while the other scorers for Ernst & Young were Chua Boon
Huat (fourth, 35th), Baljit Singh (12th), Azlan Misron (15th),
Craig Joseph Fernandez (36th), Azli Misron (62nd) and Nabil Fiqri
(65th). At the Kuala Lumpur HA Stadium, TNB-Cup champions Tenaga
Nasional beat National Juniors 3-1 in an entertaining match. The Juniors, preparing for the Junior World Cup next year, will
next face Maybank, where they look good for three points. Tenaga got their goals off Fitri Abu Bakar (second),
Sallehuddin Ghani (55th) and Mahinder Singh (63rd). Marhan Jalil
scored for National Juniors in the 64th minute. "There were some close moments, and we had the chances but blew
them. However, I am not disappointed with their effort, and the
score indicates that they will improve as the league progresses,"
said Juniors coach K. Rajan. In another Division One match, Sapura survived by the
skin-of-their teeth when they edged Maybank 2-1. Maybank took the lead in the 18th minute off a Suhaimi Ibrahim
field goal, but South Korean import Song Seung Tae delivered for
Sapura with a 25th minute field goal. The winner was delivered by Redza Maadun in the 32nd minute. RESULTS -- Division One: Tenaga Nasional 3 National Juniors 1,
Ernst and Young 10 Nur Insafi 1, Maybank 1 Sapura 2. Division Two: Dolphins 3 UiTM 3, JLJ 3 Bandar Penawar SS 1,
Royal Malay Regiment x Bukit Jalil SS x. TODAY -- Division Two: Border Forces Club v Sultan Alam Shah
School (Terengganu, 5pm), Bandar Penawar SS v UNIMAP (National
Stadium, 5pm). TOMORROW -- Division One: Tenaga Nasional v Nur Insafi (KLHA
Stadium, 5pm), National Juniors v Maybank (National Stadium,
Pitch II, 5pm), Ernst & Young v Sapura (National Stadium, Pitch
I, 5pm). Division Two: Bandar Penawar SS v UNIMAP (Bandar Penawar, 5pm),
Dolphins v Bukit Jalil SS (Lumut, 5pm), JLJD v Sultan Alam Shah
School (Tun Razak Stadium, 5pm), Border Forces Club v Malay Regiment (Terengganu, 5pm).