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Enthusiastic Manpreet Singh (pic) is back as the captain of the junior
team, this time shouldering more responsibility in guiding the young
brigade to the Junior World Cup.
Even as Hockey India announced his name for the top job today
in an impressive function, where the jerseys of players were given
away, Manpreet was in his usual best, brimming with confidence, and
interacting without tired or remorse.
Addressing the media after
team announcement, he oozes confidence when says his team is ready to
face Holland in their first encounter in the World Cup.
“Holland
is an important team but we have accordingly trained ourselves. We have
specific trainers in all areas and are ready to face them.”
Having
been part of all the major events of the past two years, Manpreet
acquired adequate knowledge in understanding of the game, and is ready
to part his knowledge to his teammates, who will all be facing a great
test for their characters in ten days time, when the Delhi's Dhyan Chand
stadium hosts the Junior World Cup.
Obviously, Manpreet Singh
will the focus of the nation, and he is all set to assimilate the
experience he gained, in order to stand up to the task.
With an experience of 85 international caps, Manpreet says he has learnt a lot from his seniors to guide the team.
“I
will be putting a lot of things into practice which I grasped from my
seniors. There is no such senior-junior. We will be playing as one
team.”
Talking about his expectations from the World Cup, he
adds, “Our aim is to take one match at a time and concentrate on it.
This way, we will aim to move ahead.”
Fitness-wise also he says, the team has been training well under trainer Mathew Eyles and there are no fitness issues.
Though
Manpreet is a man to watch, and at present seems to equip with
everything that is required to put up a show, only time will tell how
much of his enthusiasm and energy turn into a match winning trait. Stick2Hockey.com
NEW
DELHI: Talented midfielder Manpreet Singh, a veteran of 85 international
matches, was on Wednesday named the captain as India picked an
18-member squad for the junior hockey World Cup to be held in the
Capital next month. Defender Amit Rohidas will be Manpreet's deputy.
India will open their campaign against the Netherlands on December 6,
followed by matches against Canada (December 7) and South Korea
(December 10).
"Playing a World Cup at home will be a memorable occasion for
the players. We have prepared well and are looking forward to taking on
the world's best," team's coach Gregg Clarke said.
"We will go
step by step. The immediate target is to do well against Holland. I have
learnt a lot of things playing with the senior team and will try to
apply those things," skipper Manpreet said.
The tournament
schedule is set with four pools of four teams of which two from each
pool will advance to the quarterfinals. India are placed in Pool C with
the Netherlands, S Korea and Canada. Pool A will feature Germany,
Pakistan, Belgium and Egypt. Australia, Spain, Argentina and France are
competing in Pool B while England, New Zealand, South Africa and
Malaysia will clash in Pool D. All the matches will be telecast live on
Ten Sports, Hockey India said adding that the tickets for the event can
be purchased from www.ticketgenie .in.
India, who won a silver in
1997 World Cup and followed it up with their only gold medal in the
event in 2001, failed to repeat the feat in subsequent events. In 2005
they were fourth and in 2009 they finished a lowly ninth.
Squad:
Goalkeepers:
Sushant Tirkey, Harjot Singh; Defenders: Gurjinder Singh, Amit Rohidas,
Surender Kumar, Sukhmanjit Singh, Pardeep Mor, Kothajit Singh;
Midfielders: Manpreet Singh (captain), Satbir Singh, Harjit Singh, Imran
Khan, Prabhdeep Singh; Forwards: Malak Singh, Mandeep Singh, Talwinder
Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Ramandeep Singh; Standbys: Jagdeep Dayal
(goalkeeper), Lalit Upadhyay and Gurmail Singh (midfielder), Affan
Yousuf (forward).
The Times of India
FADZIL ... ( front row 1st from left). Picture taken before the Malaysia v West Germany match of
the 1982 Junior World Cup at the Tun Razak Stadium. Malaysia lost 4-2.West Germany went on to become the champions.
FORMER Malaysian hockey goalkeeper Mohd Fadzil Hadi, 52, died at the Selayang hospital yesterday.
Fadzil is best remembered for helping Malaysia finish fourth in the 1982 Junior World Cup at the Tun Razak Stadium.
Fadzil started his hockey career while with Tunku Besar Secondary School (TBS) in Tampin, Negri Sembilan, where he was coached by the late S. Sivapathasundram.
He was the first choice keeper in the TBS Under-18 team, and after the Junior World Cup, went on to represent Police, Negri Sembilan and United Asian Bank in the Malaysia Hockey League.
Sarjit Singh, the 1982 Junior World Cup skipper, paid tribute to the bubbly goalkeeper.
"He was the live-wire of the team and even in the worst of situations, he could always crack a joke or make a gesture which would lighten up the team's mood.
"Fadzil was a personal friend, and he always gave his best when between the posts. My condolences to his family," said Sarjit.
Sarjit added that on his day, Fadzil was the hardest man to beat.
"I remember him as a really happy man off the pitch, but very serious and stubborn when padded-up. And on his day, he was almost impossible to beat even in one-on-one situations.
"And remember, back then, goalkeepers were not padded like they are today, and one had to be brave to face the ball at high speed in thin paddings," said Sarjit.
And when he went for national seniors training under coach Datuk Sri Shanmuganathan in 1987-1988, former international M.A. Sambu remembers him for his "tomato" look.
"He was a little on the heavy side, but he really had determination in training and was never one to give up. I became friends with him when he joined the national seniors training under Sri Shan and back then, fitness training was a 'killer'.
"But Fadzil always managed to make us smile after a long hard day in training, and was a gem of a guy," said Sambu.
Media Prima chairman Datuk Johan Jaaffar said on Twitter: "Ebullient, exuberant, funny - to the family, a jester - formerly one of Malaysia's best hockey goalkeepers."
PERAK overcame the odds to beat six-time champions Kuala Lumpur 2-0 in the final of the Boys' MHC-Milo-NSC
National Under-14 in Kuala Terengganu yesterday.
It was the third title for Perak, who were also champions in 2005 and 2006.
And it was the second time Perak beat KL in the tournament, as they also won 4-2 in the Group stages.
Aliff Ikhemal did the damage with a field goal in the second minute, and tournament top scorer Arif Sabron
cdemented the win in the 60th minute by scoring his 16th goal in eight matches.
Perak coach Ezral Ariff said: "Credit to my boys for playing well in the final. Goalkeeper Mohamed Izhar deserves
special mention, as he was in top form to deny the KL strikers."
In the bronze match, hosts Terengganu beat Malacca 3-2. The Terengganu goals were scored by Shahrin
Izzuddin (17th) and Wan Rifqi (54th and 67th).
And the Malacca goals came from Aliff Najmi (33rd) and Izzat Rais (51st).
And in the Girls' final, Selangor cameback twice from a goal down to beat Penang 5-3. The Selangor scorers were
Nurul Aida Abdul Razak (13th), Nurul Hidayah (20th), P. Revathi (22nd), Azieah Azman (39th) and Ellya Amanina
Ellias (49th)
While Penang got their goals off and own goal in the 11th minute, Nurul Hidayah (13th) and Mimie Zulakha Zaini
(58th).
RESULTS: Boys' final: Perak 2 Kuala Lumpur 0; Third-Fourth: Terengganu 3 Malacca 2.
Girls' final: Selangor 5 Penang 3; Third-Fourth: Kuala Lumpur 3 Malacca 0.
ROLL OF HONOUR
BOYS
Best player of the tournament: Mohamed Akhimullah (Terengganu)
Top scorer: Arif Sabron (Perak - 16 goals)
Best goalkeeper: Tyrendrraj Azwind (Negri Sembilan)
Man of the match in final: Pavandip Singh (KL)
Fairplay: Malacca
GIRLS
Best player of the tournament: Nazatul Huzra (KL)
Top scorer: Arinah Azyyati (KL) and Ellya Amanina Ellias (Sel) 11 goals
Best goalkeeper: Aina Nadiah Fadzil (KL)
Man of the match in the final: P. Revathi (Sel)
Fairplay: Pahang
THE National Juniors received a major sponsorship boost in the run-up to the World Cup, as Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) pumped in RM500,000 for their campaign in New Delhi from Dec 6-15.
The juniors will carry the Felda logo on their jerseys for the duration of the tournament, starting with New Zealand on Dec 6. The other teams in Malaysia’s Group are South Africa and England.
From the list of 18 selected for the World Cup, Izad Hakimi Jamaluddin and Hafiz Zainol were born and raised in Felda settlements in Perak (Trolak) and Pahang (Jengka) respectively.
“We are going to New Delhi with a mission, and not punching bags. I believe the boys can reach the top-six target set for them,” said Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah at the mock cheque presentation in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Felda sponsorship will consists of players’ kit, energy supplements and other nutrition during training and the Junior World Cup.
Felda Director-General Datuk Faizoull Ahmad presented the mock cheque for RM500,000 to Tengku Abdullah.
“Felda is proud to sponsor the National Juniors. The amount may not be much but it is our social responsibility to see that our national players are well prepared for the Junior World Cup. We are here to leave no stone unturned,” said Faizoull.
“It is our hope that the team performs well in the World Cup against some of the best teams in the world and the players make the nation proud as well. The Junior World Cup is a prestigious event and Felda is very supportive of the development of our hockey teams at local the international level,” added Faizoull.
MHC also presented cash incentives of RM4,000 each, to all the players and coaches for finishing second in the Sultan of Johor Cup.
“I have a very close relation ship with Felda, particularly the settlements in Pahang, as I grew up visiting and watching the settlers grow in strength.
“On behalf of MHC, I would like to thank Felda for their continuous support to the development of hockey in the country.
“This sponsorship epitomises their commitment, belief and confidence in the National Juniors,” said Tengku Abdullah.
