Project 2013's Europe Tour...

THE Project 2013 squad will get an early boost when they  travel to Europe and play a series of matches against  European Junior World Cup Qualifier teams.
    Malaysia has already qualified for the Junior World Cup, to  be held in November next year in New Delhi, after they  became champions in the Malacca Junior Asia Cup.
   “I will be taking at least 20 players who will be eligible to  play in the Junior World Cup next year, and leave out those  who helped in the Junior Asia Cup but will be overage for New  Delhi,” said Project 2013 coach K. Dharmaraj.
   Traveling at the end of July, the first stop will be Valencia,  Spain, where they will play two matches against Spain  Juniors, two against France Juniors, two against Belgium  Juniors, and one against a Netherlands Division One side.
    After that, they depart for Poland where two matches will  be played against the Polish juniors and then the seniors.
    “The timing is just right as we will play teams who will be  preparing for the European Juniors Nations Championship  (a World Cup Qualifier starting on July 26) and so we are  assured of playing quality matches,” said Dharmaraj.
     However, after they return and play in the Sultan of Johor  Cup, Dharmaraj will include the six players who will be  overage for the World Cup.
   “I need the six players to keep the Sultan of Johor Cup  trophy in Malaysia. As the defending champions, we must  have the best players available for the second edition.
    “We still have ample time to prepare the Junior World Cup  players, and in the 2013 Sultan of Johor Cup which is  expected to be held one month before the Junior World Cup,  I will get a chance to field the World Cup proper team,” said  Dharmaraj.
    On tour attachments for his charges: “Faizal (Saari) has  already secured a spot with Athletico Madrid and will play in  the European Hockey League. And 16 other players also have  been selected to join European Clubs, but it all depends on  when the MHC (Malaysia Hockey Confederation) decide to  hold the MHL (Malaysia Hockey League).
   “The calendar for the MHL this year is still not out yet, and  if it clashes with the EHL, then we will not be able to send  juniors to Europe attachments, as they already have con tracts with clubs in Malaysia,” said Dharmaraj.

Women's Champions Challenge 1 in Dublin

The FIH is pleased to announce that the 2012 edition of the Women’s Hockey Champions Challenge 1 will be held in Dublin, Ireland from 29 September to 7 October, and to see Irish Hockey build on the enthusiasm and legacy of two successful tournaments hosted in the last 12 months, the Women's Electric Ireland Champions Challenge 1 last year, and the Olympic qualifying event hosted in Dublin earlier this year.

The teams qualified to participate in the event are Australia, Belgium, India, Ireland, Scotland, South Africa, Spain and the United States. The eight teams will be competing in two pools of four, with the winner of the event eventually securing one available place in the Women's Hockey Champions Trophy 2014, to be played in Argentina, where the winners will join the already qualified teams from Argentina, England, Netherlands, Germany and Japan. Two further contenders will be assigned invitational places at a later date by the FIH Executive Board.

Commenting on the impending event, Chief Executive Angus Kirkland said, "IHA is delighted to have been awarded this prestigious event. The event allows us to build on the profile generated from the Electric Ireland FIH Road To London, hosted in March and being in season, we look forward to welcoming hockey fans to the National Stadium in UCD. With four Olympic teams, it will be a superb showcase of top class hockey and it provides a wonderful opportunity for our team to showcase their talents to a home audience."

Director of High Performance Dave Passmore was also looking forward to the event, saying " We are delighted to be hosting this event building on the success and broader benefit of the hosting of the Men's Electric Ireland FIH Road To London this year. With such a high standard of opposition, coming so soon after the London Olympics, this should be an exciting and high quality event. Falling at the start of the club season, our ladies will be keen to replicate the form they showed going into the OQT final in March and demonstrate some fast flowing hockey for the Irish public. "

More details on the event will follow in due course.

Tournament Dates: 29 September to 7 October, 2012
Tournament Venue: National Hockey Stadium, UCD, Dublin, Ireland

Current World Rankings of the participating teams:

7th - Australia
10th - USA
11th - Spain
12th - South Africa
13th - India
14th - Ireland
16th - Belgium
18th - Scotland

Signed, sealed and delivered...

By T.N.Alagesh

WINDS OF CHANGE: Tengku Abdullah confirms South  African as head coach.

STARTING July, former Ireland hockey team coach, Paul  Revington will take over as the head coach of the national  senior hockey team with the Champions Challenge 1 in  Argentina later this year being his first assignment.
     Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Tengku  Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who confirmed the appoint ment, said former Malaysian international Arul Selvaraj will  be roped in to assist Revington.
     Tengku Abdullah said the duo have verbally agreed to  chart the future of the national team and all the details,  including their contracts will be ironed out soon.
    “Both Revington and his assistant Arul are expected to  start their coaching duties next month and their first test will  be the Champions Challenge 1 in November before the World  Cup Qualifiers next year"
     “We hope their signing will bring changes to Malaysian  hockey especially after the national team’s recent dip in form  and failure to qualify for major tournaments, “ he told  reporters in Kuantan yesterday.
     He said MHC also plans to have a bigger pool of players for  national duty and Revington will be given a freehand to pick  the players from the Malaysia Hockey League in September  and Razak Cup tournament.
     “The coaches will also look into the possibility to expand  the training squad and maybe have two national teams. We  want the juniors to give priority to the Junior World Cup in  New Delhi next year while the seniors can focus on other  tournaments,” he said adding it would however depend on  the pool of players.
     Revington’s appointment has put an end to speculation on  the candidate to replace Tai Beng Hai, who last led the team  to a sixth place finish in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh last  month.
    The former South Africa and Ireland head coach brings  with him a wealth of experience, including guiding South  Africa to the 2004 Olympic Games and 2006 World Cup.
  Arul teamed up with Revington to coach South Africa, and  the duo later joined Ireland in 2008.
     In the past, Malaysia have been coached by Australian  Terry Walsh, Germans Lissek and Volker Knapp.  
    Tai Beng Hai has been appointed as the CoachinG Director,  to oversee junior development as well as handle a junior side  until 2021.

Arul waiting to sign...

ARUL Selvaraj (pic) is just waiting to sign on the dotted line to  join the Malaysian coaching circle, as he has already met  National Sports Council (NSC) officials a few days back and  discussed terms with them.
    When contacted yesterday: “Yes, I have met with officials  from the NSC and we discussed terms but not the KPI yet, as  it is still early stages.”
    Arul is tipped to be the next assistant coach to South  African Paul Revington, who was also down in Kuala Lumpur  recently to discuss with Malaysian Hockey Confederation  (MHC) officials.
    “I do not know what transpired when Paul met hockey  officials, but he has left the country. I’m still around until  August, as I took leave from my club to come home for  holidays,” said Arul.
    After Tai Beng Hai failed to take Malaysia into the  Olympics, the MHC started a serious hunt for a foreign coach  to change the country’s hockey fortunes.
   With South Africa, Revington coached for three years and  the South Africans moved up to 10th from 14th in the world  rankings, and have now qualified for the London Olympics.  South Africa, under Revington, also played in the 2004  Olympics and the 2006 World Cup.
    As for former national coach Tai Beng Hai, he has been  appointed Coaching Director to oversee junior development  until 2021.
    Revington and Arul were with Ireland, who also failed to  qualify for London as they lost to South Korea in the final.
    “I can’t comment too much about this matter yet because I  am still waiting for a reply from the relevant bodies. However,  it would be good to be back in Malaysia after being away for  a long time,” said Arul.
    Arul left for South Africa after his attachment with Paul  Lissek, and was assistant to Revington. Both of them then  moved to Ireland in 2008, and are said to have caught the  attention of the MHC because of their dedication and com mitment.
    Revington’s contract with the Irish team ends this month,  while Arul will have to sort out matters with his club Three  Rock Rovers HC.
   “I have informed club officials on my discussions in  Malaysia, and if I get a contract, it will not be a problem to get  a release form my club and concentrate on Malaysia,” said  Arul.

Logan’s London 1908 Olympic Gold Medal

Gerald Logan (b. 29 December 1879) played hockey for England at the London 1908 Olympic Games, scoring 3 goals in England’s 8 – 1 win over Ireland in the Final. His Gold medal has been loaned to The National Hockey Museum by his great nephew, Nigel Bates.
     The Gold medal was left to Nigel by Gerald Logan’s wife, Alix, in her will as he was the only member of the family that played hockey.
    Nigel Bates is currently living in Cayman Islands and is the Vice President of Cayman Islands Hockey Club. He played for St Albans Hockey Club and Broxbourne Hockey Club before moving to Cayman Islands 9 years ago.
   The Medal was brought to the National Hockey Museum (NHM) today by Nigel’s parents and the Museum were able to show them the Team sheets of Gerald Logan’s 9 appearances for England between 1906 and 1909. Gerald played for South, Surrey and Hampstead Hockey Club. NHM presented Mr & Mrs Bates a Team Photo of England Team of 1906 taken before England v Scotland match.

National Hockey Museum