Twenty bus-loads to cheer-on THT v KLHC

TWENTY bus-loads of fans from Terengganu will arrive Sunday to cheer-on Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) in their quest to win back-to-back doubles in the Premier Division of the Malaysia Hockey League.
  THT will face nemesis Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) for the TNB Cup at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil, with no clear favourites.
  KLHC lost both their titles to THT last season, and also crumbled 5-4 in the League this year -- but their 6-2 Charity Shield win still troubles THT.
  Playing at the Batu Buruk Stadium in Kuala Terengganu, 3,500 fans in a 2,000-capacity stadium played a role of the twelfth player to cheer on THT to a slim win for the League title.
  "Fans played a big role in our success this season, and as a reward, as well as for another round of support, 20 buses will arrive from Terengganu for the TNB Cup final," said THT assistant coach Shamsol Ismail.
  THT are dead serious about claiming the double again, as coach Sarjit Singh could be seen, from the window, busy training his charges while the press conference was ongoing.
  Terengganu skipper Shahrun Nabil feels they have a good chance if they play like they did against Maybank in the second leg of the TNB Cup semi-finals.
  "We need to bring out that same determination on Sunday, because we were down 3-5 to Maybank from the first leg, but went on to carve a hard-fought 7-2 victory in the return leg. That's the way I want my team-mates to play again against KLHC," said Shahrun Nabil.
  KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj believes it will be a close game, and could even end up in a shoot-out.
  "In my 17 years in the MHL, I have taken my side to 15 finals and lost four titles on shoot-outs. TNB Cup finals, especially, have been very close affairs and so, we are prepared for all eventualities this time around," said Dharmaraj.
  KLHC will again rely on Malaysia's No 1 penalty corner flicker Razie Rahim, who has delivered a total of 11 goals this season -- one field, nine penalty corners and one penalty stroke.
  The other KLHC trump card is Pakistan import Ali Shan who has scord six of which three were from field and three from penalty corners.
  As for THT Premier Division top-scorer Faizal Shaari, 17 goals, will be the man to stop. Faizal scored 10 field, five penalty corner and two penalty stroke goals and is an all-rounder.
  THT also have Tengku AHmad Tajuddin, 10 goals, who has been playing his best games in the TNB Cup knock-out stage.
  With no clear favourites, the TNB Cup final could go either way, but one thing is for sure -- it will be worth the time and effort put in by fans to travel to the stadium, or watch it live on Astro Arena 801.
  SUNDAY: Final -- Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club v Terengganu Hockey Team (8pm, Pitch II); Third-Fourth: Maybank v Sapura (6pm, Pitch II).
  Note: Both matches at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

Australian help on the way...

MALAYSIAN Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal and his team are set to celebrate their 100-days in office in style.

  In the cards is a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hockey Australia, the unveiling of a five-year blueprint to take Malaysia into the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and many changes in the Malaysia Hockey League.

  Subahan walked into the MHC office unopposed on May 14, and almost saw Malaysia qualify for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, but fell 3-2 to India in the quarter-finals of the World League Semifinals in Belgium.

  At a dinner hosted for journalists in Antwerp, Subahan had said that even though he had no hand in preparing this team, he took full responsibility for their failure, and will unveil a plan to 'make sure' Malaysia play in Tokyo.

  Australian Terry Walsh was secured, MoU with Hockey Australia ready to sign and a comprehensive blue-print will be unveiled in a Press Conference at the National Sports Council (NSC) on Wednesday.

  First the exciting MoU with World No 1 Australia.

  Even though Malaysia are one step behind Singapore on this matter, it does not matter.

  The Lion City signed an MoU in July, after a high of holding Malaysia Under-20 side to a 2-2 draw before losing the Sea Games gold 4-3 on penalties.

  Singapore plan for two more silvers, men and women, in the 2017 Kuala Lumpur Sea Games and are even talking of an upset on our home soil.

  Malaysia want to play in the World Cup and Olympics again.

  The MoU details are still sketchy, but if it follows what Singapore has signed, then Malaysia will send teams to play in the Hockey Australia national championships in 2016 to 2018, and their 'Hookin2hockey' programme will be implemented into the MHC coach education programme and coaching.

  Coaches and umpire exchange programmes should also be in the documents signed with collaboration with the NSC.

  It is also believed that youth development and high performance hockey in the country will receive a big boost from Australia, who have shown to the world that their style of total hockey is what gets the results in World Cups and Olympics.

  The five-year blueprint will encompass a detailed route to take Malaysia back into the Olympics, a feat last achieved in Sydney 2000.

  The MHC are keeping this development under wraps, but good news should be shared and Hookin2hockey is what we need to get the grassroot hooked to the sport in a fun and systematic way.

  And the MHC are also keen to follow up the statement made by Walsh when his appointment as Technical Director was made known; That he wanted to see all ethnic groups in Malaysia play like they did in the old days.

  The fine print and more details will be elaborated by Subahan on Wednesday, and for starters, he and his team get top KPI grades from this scribe, in their 100-days in office.

  And its without taking into account that they reduced MHC's debts from RM2.8 million to RM1.7 million.

Singapore makes right Under-14 move...

THT blast Maybank into orbit...

  RESULTS: Semi-finals (Second Leg):
  Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club 2 Sapura 1.
  (KLHC win 8-1 on aggregate)
  Maybank 2 Terengganu Hockey Team 7.
  (THT win 10-7 on aggregate)


TERENGGANU Hockey Team (THT) showed their pedigree yesterday when they came back from a two-goal deficit to beat Maybank 10-7 on aggregate in the Second Leg Semi-finals of the TNB Cup at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
  THT advanced to the final on Sunday, by hammering Maybank 7-2, and they will face Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) for the Overall title.
  League champions THT started with three goals in the first 15 minutes, and nailed Maybank with precision marking and scoring.
  THT's goals were scored by Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin (second, eighth), Jose Leandro Tolini (ninth), Faizal Saari (33rd, 51st), Firhan Ashaari (45th) and Nicolas Cicileo (49th), 
  Pakistan's Muhammad Toseeq (39th) and India's B. Deepanshu (59th) scored for Maybank.
  In the other semi-finals, KLHC took a walk in the park but still beat Sapura 2-1 for an 8-1 aggregate win.
  Mumammad Imran (ninth) was the solitary scorer for Sapura in both the legs, while Razie Rahim (29th) and Ali Shan (52nd) got the winner for KLHC.
  "I believe my players lost out to fatigue because we played three matches in five days and were hit 1-6 (in the first leg semis), and this is not the national team, for them to sustain the pace," said Sapura coach Tai Beng Hai.
  KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj is no stranger to playing in the final, as in his 17 years in the Malaysia Hockey League he has coached in 15 finals.
  And he took his side to the top in five finals, and lost nine.
  "I have been coaching the same side (with three name changes) for the past 17 years and I know there are no favourites in a final. Any team that seizes the day, will life the trophy," said Dharmaraj.
  He started with Arthur Anderson which evolved into Ernst & Young, and is now KLHC.
  Dharmaraj has no favourites to join him on Sunday: "It is not the opposition that counts, is how my players perform on Sunday which will determine the club's fate."
  SUNDAY: Final -- Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club v Terengganu Hockey Team (8pm, Pitch II); Third-Fourth: Maybank v Sapura (6pm, Pitch II).
  Note: Both matches at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

Maybank upset THT 5-3

MAYBANK almost pulled off the biggest upset of the TNB Cup, but they lost their scrip in the final quarter and could only beat league champions Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) 5-3 in the First Leg Semi-finals at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil Tuesday.
   Maybank played like Tigers, to take a 4-1 lead, but allowed THT to claw back into the match.
  Pakistan import Muhammad Irfan scored the opener for Maybank in the 15th minute, but Faizal Shaari equalised with his 14th goal for THT in the 17th minute.
  Irfan took his MHL tally to five goals in the 27th minute, while Hafifi Hafiz (23rd) and Syafiq Mohamed Zain (41st) made it 4-1.
  However, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin (45th) and Malaysia Hockey League top scorer Faizal scored his 15th goal in the 50th minute to narrow the gap to 3-4.
  Maybank's Syafiq got his brace in the 59th minute to give his side a two-goal cushion going into the Second Leg tomorrow.
  Maybank coach S. Vellapan hit it right when he said: "Desire and self-believe is what my players had in this game, as THT is a much more talented side."
  Last season Maybank beat THT 3-2 in the First Leg Semi-finals, but crumbled 1-6 in the Second Leg.
  "We can't rely on a two-goal cushion against a team like THT as they almost turned the match in the last quarter today (yesterday). We will have to keep the same momentum and speed for the next 60 minutes if we want to play in the final," said Vellapan.
  THT coach Sarjit Singh did not expect to lose yesterday, but he is confident it is only a temporary set-back.
  "Maybank played extremely well but I am confident my players will overcome the two-goal cushion on Thursday and take us into the final," said Sarjit.
  THT had a 10-day rest as they did not play in the quarter-finals after being seeded, while Maybank played a grueling match against Tenaga on Sunday to reach the last four.
  RESULTS --Semi-finals (First Leg): Terengganu Hockey Team 3 Maybank 5; Sapura 0 Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club 6.
  THURSDAY: Semi-finals (Second Leg): Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club v Sapura (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 6pm), Maybank v Terengganu Hockey Team (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 8pm).