STADIUM DREAM: UniKL's finest hour...

 Asian Hockey Federation president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah at the ground breaking venue...

UNIVERSITI Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) yesterday broke new ground when their Chancellor Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah officiated at a ground breaking ceremony to build a 500-seater hockey stadium in Bangi.
  To be called the Tengku Abdullah Stadium, it will cost RM7.5 million and is expected to be completed by the end of 2016.
  "Hockey has made Malaysia proud at the international level in the past, and I hope with this new UniKL stadium, we can reach that level again," said Tengku Abdullah who is the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) president.
  UniKL Young Guns were formed in 2009, and in a short span have exposed 160 players in the Malaysia Hockey League as well as Junior League. In the last Junior World Cup where Malaysia finished fourth, UniKL contributed 12 players.
  This year, in collaboration with the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC), UniKL started a free coaching clinic every Saturday for goalkeepers, and players below the age of 16.
  When completed UniKL will utilise it for development, as well as home for the MHL and JHL matches.
  Meanwhile, UniKL will face another challenge when they meet MHL double champions Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) again in Round Two of the Premier Division in Kuala Lumpur today.
  In Round One, THT beat UniKL 4-2.
  THT's only blemish was when they were hit 6-2 by Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) in the Charity Shield, and being the first game of the Second Round, THT are expected to hit UniKL hard to keep sight of their League title.
  UniKL are still winless after four matches and fifth on the standings, and still have not completed their First round rain abandoned match against bottom placed Maybank.
  "Even tough UniKL have 12 youth from Project 2016, they have shown good fighting spirit and have only lost narrowly to all the teams. I expect it to be another tough match for us, but we need a win to keep the momentum going in the second round," said THT coach Sarjit Singh.
  TODAY: Premier Division (Round Two): KLHC v Maybank (6pm), UniKL v THT (8pm, Pitch I), Tenaga v Sapura (8pm, Pitch II).
  Division One Group A: BJSS v Thunderbolts (KPM, 5pm), MSP-YP-SSp v MBI (Kuantan, 5pm); Group B: PKS-KPM v SSTMI (4pm, Pitch I), UiTM v ATM Airod (6pm, Pitch I).
  Women's Group A: MSNT-PHT v Penang Juniors (Batu Buruk, 4pm); Group B: manjung v SSTMI Thunderbolts (Azlan Shah, 5pm).
  NOTE: National Hockey Stadium unless states.

Kelab Aman Happy Hockey kids rewarded...

Subahan: Shaking and moving..

Pic: Subahan being welcomed at the Kelab Aman Happy Hockey function.

DATUK Seri Subahan Kamal has only been three months in office, but his achievements in the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) are dynamic, as well as progressive.
  He took over from Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah on April 28, quite reluctantly though, when nominations closed and he was unchallenged.
  But since, he has not only brought down MHC's massive debts, but also managed to hire the best hockey mind in the world -- Australian Terry Walsh as Technical Director.
  "When I took over from Tengku Abdullah, MHC had a debt of RM2.8 million and we have managed to reduce it to RM1.7 million with good team-work from all departments," said Subahan.
  RM1 million in three months, and Subahan is confident he can solve the money issue soon.
  MHC have also managed to rope in Qnet, an Asian direct selling company, who are also the official direct selling partners of with the Manchester City Football Club.
  "Qnet have been silently supporting hockey since the days of Tengku Abdullah (2011) but have come in strongly with a pledge of RM1.5 million over five years to help facilitate the national team's participation as well as the organisation of various domestic and international tournaments," said Subahan.
  The president also took responsibility over the failure of Malaysia in the World League Semi-finals.
  "Even though the current office bearers were barely weeks into their job when the team left for Belgium, I take responsibility for their failure to qualify for the Olympics.
  "Having said that, the MHC have started preparations to make sure we have a strong team to challenge, and qualify for the next Olympics in 2020 Tokyo," said Subahan.
  To that effect, Walsh was hired over the weekend -- and the Australian started Monday on the run by organising a coaching seminar for 14 Malaysian coaches.
  Walsh and the coaching committee will, in two weeks time, name the national chief coach as well as coaches for the various national teams, including the women's.
  After chairing the Executive Board meeting on Saturday, Subahan said there were many other issues which has been tightened up since he took over, but he will only speak about them when he organises a 100-day in office function.
  "I have a plan, and my team of office bearers have been performing to their personal KPI's. More information will be revealed when we host out 100-day in office function.
  After naming Walsh during lunch time, at night, Subahan attended a Kelab Aman Happy Hockey fund-raising dinner in Kuala Lumpur, and there were many happy faces when he announced several incentives for the junior development programme for ages four to 18.
  Barely 100 days on, Subahan and his team have managed to almost turn around the MHC, and now there must be positive changes on the pitch as Walsh said: "Malaysia can break into the top-10 and even the top-8 when certain things are aligned."
  However, the Australian was frank and point blank when asked if Malaysia can win major tournaments like the Olympic and World Cup in the near future: "That, is out of sight." 

Walsh: Here to educate coaches and players..

TERENCE Arthur Walsh is back in Malaysia as a coaching Technical Director.

  Better known around the globe as Terry Walsh, he last coached Malaysia from 1990-1994, and yesterday he answered questions on why he made it back to our shores after being unceremoniously hounded out 21 years.

  "The reason I am back is because there have been many positive changes in the administration of hockey in the country," was his blunt opening statement.

  And then he gave an insight which hit the nail spot on: "Australians do not reveal much, but when they do it good that one listens. I was told (by Australian coaches and players) that Malaysian players have great potential, but they just do not know how to do it...."

  And he gave an example: "I was watching Malaysia play India in the quarter-finals of the World League Semi-finals from thousands of miles away and after taking a 2-1 lead, they lost their Olympic hope to two penalty corners (lost 3-2).

  "They showed great potential by coming back from a goal down to lead 2-1, but after that, they just did not know what to do."

  Walsh signed a two-plus-two contract with the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) and his primary job is to educate the coaches and players.

  For starters, he will conduct a two-day coaching seminar from Monday for 14 FIH Level Three Malaysian coaches, and in two weeks time will sit down with the MHC Coaching committee to select the chief coach.

  The other revelation made by Terry was that other races have been left out of the hockey fraternity.

  "Malaysia had and I believe has many good players from all segments (races) and we need to bring them back into the game to form a lethal combustion which will take the nation into the top 10 or even top eight in the world.

  In the 90s there were many non-Malays playing hockey for the country, but today, only goalkeeper S. Kumar and Baljit Singh remain in the senior team, while there are no non-Malays in the Project 2016 squad as well as in the women's teams.

  When asked if he will chance the playing system: "No, there are many good things in how the team plays now, but we need to chance some factors to make everything linear and then we can start by becoming better in the Asian level, before looking at the world tournaments."

  Walsh was the chief coach of India from 2013 to 2014, but a left after getting caught in red tape, but not before making sure India become Asian Games champions and qualify for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

  As for Malaysia, the three important senior tournaments in 2018 are the World Cup, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.

  This year, the juniors would be involved in a Junior World Cup qualifier, when Kuantan plays hosts to the Junior Asia Cup.

KLHC keep the lead...

DOUBLE champions Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) had to bring out their best to edge Sapura 1-0 in the Premier Division of the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) at the Batu Buruk Stadium yesterday.
  The solitary goal was scored by national player Azlan Misron, off a penalty corner set-piece, in the 39th minute.
  And at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) rode on luck to beat Tenaga Nasional 3-1 to top the standings on 10 points.
  Tenaga took the lead off a Shahril Saabah goal in the 25th minute, but Pakistan import Ali Shan nailed the equaliser in the 30th minute.
  But a silly mistake by Tenaga's Amirol Aideed gifted the goal to Rashid Baharom (47th), and the third was slotted in by Pakistan's Umar Bhutta in the 48th minute.
  THT coach Sarjit Singh said it was not an easy match, as Sapura were on top of them most of the match.
  "We did just enough to win three points on our home turf, as Sapura pinned us down in our own semi-circle in the last quarter. This year, the competition is very high and it is not going to be as easy as last season, as even the national juniors are playing very well for their clubs," said Sarjit.
  THT have nine points from four matches, and will play UniKL next on Sunday.
  "UniKL only lost 0-1 to KLHC (Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club) and I believe it will be another bruising encounter. However, we are playing at home in Terengganu and the crowd support was great against Sapura, and I believe the fans will come out in numbers again Sunday to support their players win three points," said Sarjit.
  Sapura will travel back to Kuala Lumpur to play Tenaga Nasional at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil Sunday, and coach Tai Beng Hai is keeping his fingers crossed that the journey does not 'kill them'.
    RESULTS: Premier Division -- KLHC 3 Tenaga 1, Terengganu HT 1 Sapura 0.
  Division One: Group A: Thunderbolts x MASUM USM x, BJSS 4 MSP-YP-SSP 3; Group B: SSTMI 0 PKS KPM 1, ATM Airod 1 UiTM 3, Nur Insafi 2 Politeknik 1
  Women: Group A: Penang Juniors 1 MSNT-PHT 1, Politeknik 1 The Cops 2; Group B: KL Sukma 4 Manjung 0.
 TODAY: Division One B: UniKL Young Guns v UiTM (National Stadium I, 5pm), SSTMI v Nur Insafi (Taman Daya I, 5pm), PKS-KPM v Politeknik (Taman Daya II, 5pm).
  Women: Group A: Politeknik v ATM Pernama (Malacca, 5pm); Group B: PKS-KPM v KL Sukma (National Stadium II, 7pm), SSTMI Thunderbolts v MSN Kedah (Taman Daya I, 7pm).
   TOMORROW: Premier Division -- Terengganu HT v UniKL (Batu Buruk, 6pm), Sapura v Tenaga (National Stadium II, 6pm), Maybank v KLHC (National Stadium II, 8pm).
  Division One: Group A: BJSS v Thunderbolts (Ministry of Education, 5pm), MSp-YP-SSP v Ipoh MC (Kuantan, 5pm); Group B: PKS-KPM v SSTMI (National Stadium I, 4pm), UiTM v ATM Airod (National Stadium I, 6pm).
  Women: Group A: MSNT-PHT v Penang Juniors (Batu Buruk, 4pm); Group B: Manjung v SSTMI Thunderbolts (Azlan Shah, 5pm).