YAYASAN Negri Sembilan (YNS) are having difficulties to source for foreign players for their Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) challenge, as all the top-flight players have a packed schedule in the coming months.
YNS registered three Pakistanis, five Indian players as well as one a Bangladeshi last season, but the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) have limited the number of foreigners to six this year.
“Even looking for six quality players, from the Indian continent, is a tough task as Pakistan and India players have commitments in the Asian Champions Trophy and other tournaments,” said Negri Sembilan HA secretary P. Tamil Selvan.
But even with the best foreign players from Pakistan like Shakeel Abbasi and Mohamed Imran, YNS still finished fifth in the League and lost 2-1 and 4-2 to double champions Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) in the two-leg semifinals.
“We had the best then, but it looks like we will have to make do with some budding players from India and Pakistan for this season.
“And with the best local players also tied up with other clubs, we will make do with some home-talent to make up the numbers,” said Tamil.
The MHF will make a concrete stand on the issue of national players during their Aug 20 meeting. The MHF have three choices, starting with postponing the MHL to after the Olympic Qualifiers next year, allowing national players to represent their clubs, and the third is to bar national players and start the MHL on Sept 23.
“We do not have any national players, and I am of the opinion that the MHL will be more balanced if MHF decide to abide by the decision taken during a workshop to discuss the issue.”
YNS will hold MHL trials at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil at 8.30pm tonight, after the national team plays their fourth friendly against Japan at the same venue.
National coach Tai Beng Hai would is preparing a side for the First Asian Champions Trophy in China on Sept 3-11 and prefers that the MHL is held after the Olympic Qualifiers next year so that his training schedule will not be disrupted.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Beng Hai clears the air, again...
NATIONAL chief coach Tai Beng Hai has made his stand clear on the issue of national players competing in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL), but many had misunderstood his reasons.
Yesterday, at a joint management committee meeting between the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) and the National Sports Council (NSC) Beng Hai made it clearer for all again, as two clubs had written in an appeal on the matter.
“From the very beginning I had never insinuated that national players should be banned from the MHL. I was always of the opinion that the MHL should be postponed after the Olympic Qualifiers next year.
“However, during a workshop on the matter, those present took a stand that the MHL must not be postponed, but national players should not be allowed to play in it so that I can carry on with my programme uninterrupted,” said Beng Hai.
The workshop’s decision is pending an approval stamp from the MHF Council, which will meet on Aug 20.
And yesterday, he again told the MHF-NSC joint meeting that he stands by his three proposals put forward before the workshop, to MHF deputy President (Datuk Nur Azmi Ahmad) during a joint senior-junior team management committee meeting.
“I could not attend the workshop because it was postponed twice and when the new date was announced, I had already bought seven tickets for an overseas vacation with my family on the said date.
“However, I had stated three scenarios. The first was that the MHL be postponed after the Olympic Qualifier which is possibly in March next year.
“The second was to continue the MHL being held in mid-week and national players come back for training with me during weekends.
“And the third was to go ahead with the MHL minus the national players.”
However, Beng Hai had his reservations on the second proposal as history has proven that is a bad idea.
“The proposal to play midweek and then show up for national training during weekends has been tried many times before and it has never worked.
“From experience I know that many players will use numerous excuses, like tired or injured, to skip national training.
“And also, in the past, some clubs had refused to allow players to attend national training after they started losing matches in the MHL. Also, the players always return to camp unfit at the end of the MHL, and I have to start all over again,” lamented Beng Hai.
The coach is still of the opinion that the MHL should be postponed but if the MHF Council takes a strong stand against players who play truant or fake injuries, then he is all for releasing his charges to clubs.
“It is still in the hands of the Council, whether they want to postpone the MHL or carry on with national players. But my request to the Council is that if they choose to release the players to clubs, it must come with a warning that players who fail to turn up for national training by making excuses and faking injuries will be dropped from the squad,” said Beng Hai.
Yesterday, at a joint management committee meeting between the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) and the National Sports Council (NSC) Beng Hai made it clearer for all again, as two clubs had written in an appeal on the matter.
“From the very beginning I had never insinuated that national players should be banned from the MHL. I was always of the opinion that the MHL should be postponed after the Olympic Qualifiers next year.
“However, during a workshop on the matter, those present took a stand that the MHL must not be postponed, but national players should not be allowed to play in it so that I can carry on with my programme uninterrupted,” said Beng Hai.
The workshop’s decision is pending an approval stamp from the MHF Council, which will meet on Aug 20.
And yesterday, he again told the MHF-NSC joint meeting that he stands by his three proposals put forward before the workshop, to MHF deputy President (Datuk Nur Azmi Ahmad) during a joint senior-junior team management committee meeting.
“I could not attend the workshop because it was postponed twice and when the new date was announced, I had already bought seven tickets for an overseas vacation with my family on the said date.
“However, I had stated three scenarios. The first was that the MHL be postponed after the Olympic Qualifier which is possibly in March next year.
“The second was to continue the MHL being held in mid-week and national players come back for training with me during weekends.
“And the third was to go ahead with the MHL minus the national players.”
However, Beng Hai had his reservations on the second proposal as history has proven that is a bad idea.
“The proposal to play midweek and then show up for national training during weekends has been tried many times before and it has never worked.
“From experience I know that many players will use numerous excuses, like tired or injured, to skip national training.
“And also, in the past, some clubs had refused to allow players to attend national training after they started losing matches in the MHL. Also, the players always return to camp unfit at the end of the MHL, and I have to start all over again,” lamented Beng Hai.
The coach is still of the opinion that the MHL should be postponed but if the MHF Council takes a strong stand against players who play truant or fake injuries, then he is all for releasing his charges to clubs.
“It is still in the hands of the Council, whether they want to postpone the MHL or carry on with national players. But my request to the Council is that if they choose to release the players to clubs, it must come with a warning that players who fail to turn up for national training by making excuses and faking injuries will be dropped from the squad,” said Beng Hai.
Finally, Malaysia 4 Japan 1
By AFTAR SINGH
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia put up a strong first-half display to chalk up a convincing 4-1 win over Japan in a friendly match at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
Despite starting the match at 6.10pm – more than an hour before the breaking of fast – the Malaysians still managed to grab their first win in their third friendly, having lost the first two matches with identical 2-1 scorelines on Sunday and Monday.
The Malaysians, especially the Muslim players, began aggressively to take a 12th minute lead when forward Faizal Saari sent in a high flick past Japan goalkeeper Shunsuke Nagaoka off a penalty corner setpiece.
But Malaysia’s joy was shortlived. Three minutes later, the Japanese equalised through Katsuyoshi Nagasana — also off a penalty corner.
Coming through: Malaysia’s Hafifihafiz Hanafi and Malaysia dominated the game after that and surprised the Japanese by scoring three goals in 10 minutes.
First, they regained the lead in the 21st minute when Hafifihafiz Hanafi’s cross from the right was deflected into goal by forward Izwan Firdaus.
Three minutes later, Faizal was on target again for his second and the team’s third goal off another penalty corner.
Defender Mohd Razie Abdul Rahim, who was the top scorer in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) with 27 goals last season, made it 4-1 in the 30th minute off another penalty corner.
National coach Tai Beng Hai praised his men for a job well done despite them having to play the match before the breaking of fast.
“We lost the first two matches because the Muslim players were still adapting to playing before the breaking of fast. But after more than a week of fasting they are used to playing before (buka puasa),” he said.
Meanwhile, Japan will play a friendly against the Project 2013 squad today before they play two matches with the national senior team on Saturday and Sunday.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia put up a strong first-half display to chalk up a convincing 4-1 win over Japan in a friendly match at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
Despite starting the match at 6.10pm – more than an hour before the breaking of fast – the Malaysians still managed to grab their first win in their third friendly, having lost the first two matches with identical 2-1 scorelines on Sunday and Monday.
The Malaysians, especially the Muslim players, began aggressively to take a 12th minute lead when forward Faizal Saari sent in a high flick past Japan goalkeeper Shunsuke Nagaoka off a penalty corner setpiece.
But Malaysia’s joy was shortlived. Three minutes later, the Japanese equalised through Katsuyoshi Nagasana — also off a penalty corner.
Coming through: Malaysia’s Hafifihafiz Hanafi and Malaysia dominated the game after that and surprised the Japanese by scoring three goals in 10 minutes.
First, they regained the lead in the 21st minute when Hafifihafiz Hanafi’s cross from the right was deflected into goal by forward Izwan Firdaus.
Three minutes later, Faizal was on target again for his second and the team’s third goal off another penalty corner.
Defender Mohd Razie Abdul Rahim, who was the top scorer in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) with 27 goals last season, made it 4-1 in the 30th minute off another penalty corner.
National coach Tai Beng Hai praised his men for a job well done despite them having to play the match before the breaking of fast.
“We lost the first two matches because the Muslim players were still adapting to playing before the breaking of fast. But after more than a week of fasting they are used to playing before (buka puasa),” he said.
Meanwhile, Japan will play a friendly against the Project 2013 squad today before they play two matches with the national senior team on Saturday and Sunday.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Japan win 2-1, again...
MALAYSIA went down to Japan 2-1 again on the second friendly at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil last night.
The national players played to the same script as the first friendly on Sunday, as they continued to play in patches.
Malaysia only showed some grit in the first 15 inutes of the match and there were plenty of action infront of the Japanese goalmouth before they took an early lead.
Izwan Firdaus scored in the fifth minute off a field effort, but that was the only good attempt in the first half.
Japan won the equaliser when Nabil Fiqri's rough tackle in the 25-yard area landed him a yellow card in the 18th minute, and Japan a penalty corner.
Katsuyoshi Nagasama flicked high into the net to beat goalkeeper S. Kumar for the equaliser.
During the breather, the Malaysain players also broke fast and when they returned to the pitch, the Japanese took total control of the match -- like they did in the first friendly.
And in the 56th minute, they won their fourth penalty corner and this time Toshiro Tachibana flicked high to beat goalkeeper Kumar to retake the lead, which also turned out to be the winner.
"I am not too worried with the results in theis series, as we are not only testing players but also their endurance during the fasting month," said national coach Tai Beng Hai.
Today is a break, while both teams will square off again on Wednesday at 6.10pm.
The national players played to the same script as the first friendly on Sunday, as they continued to play in patches.
Malaysia only showed some grit in the first 15 inutes of the match and there were plenty of action infront of the Japanese goalmouth before they took an early lead.
Izwan Firdaus scored in the fifth minute off a field effort, but that was the only good attempt in the first half.
Japan won the equaliser when Nabil Fiqri's rough tackle in the 25-yard area landed him a yellow card in the 18th minute, and Japan a penalty corner.
Katsuyoshi Nagasama flicked high into the net to beat goalkeeper S. Kumar for the equaliser.
During the breather, the Malaysain players also broke fast and when they returned to the pitch, the Japanese took total control of the match -- like they did in the first friendly.
And in the 56th minute, they won their fourth penalty corner and this time Toshiro Tachibana flicked high to beat goalkeeper Kumar to retake the lead, which also turned out to be the winner.
"I am not too worried with the results in theis series, as we are not only testing players but also their endurance during the fasting month," said national coach Tai Beng Hai.
Today is a break, while both teams will square off again on Wednesday at 6.10pm.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Japan 2 Malaysia 1
THE national hockey team looked lethargic as they lost the first friendly 2-1 against Japan at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil last night.
Coach Tai Beng Hai has four more matches against the Japanese during the fasting month, to test their endurance as the London Olympics will also be held during the fasting month.
Malaysia played in patches and the second minute goal was a defensive blunder which made Toshiro Tachibana's task of tucking in the ball past goalkeeper S. Kumar like a text-book drill.
Japan were on top of Malaysia most of the firsthalf, but were denied a bigger lead as Kumar stopped a handful of point-blank shot.
However, Malaysia scored the equaliser off a rare attack in the 23rd minute of the match, when Faizal Saari sounded the board.
After the breather, Malaysia kept losing the ball while the Japanese had a field day again, and Ryuji Farusato made it 2-1 with a deft field goal in the 47th minute to retake the lead.
And the Japanese kept the lead for the remainder of the match and won the first friendly with ease.
The second friendly will be held today at 6.50pm.
Coach Tai Beng Hai has four more matches against the Japanese during the fasting month, to test their endurance as the London Olympics will also be held during the fasting month.
Malaysia played in patches and the second minute goal was a defensive blunder which made Toshiro Tachibana's task of tucking in the ball past goalkeeper S. Kumar like a text-book drill.
Japan were on top of Malaysia most of the firsthalf, but were denied a bigger lead as Kumar stopped a handful of point-blank shot.
However, Malaysia scored the equaliser off a rare attack in the 23rd minute of the match, when Faizal Saari sounded the board.
After the breather, Malaysia kept losing the ball while the Japanese had a field day again, and Ryuji Farusato made it 2-1 with a deft field goal in the 47th minute to retake the lead.
And the Japanese kept the lead for the remainder of the match and won the first friendly with ease.
The second friendly will be held today at 6.50pm.
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