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THE Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal yesterday revised his KPI for the national team, from current World No 14 to World No eight in two years time.
He said this at the launching of new attire and sponsorship presentation for the national men's and women's teams. The men will be playing in the Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) in Kuantan on Oct 20-30.
"When I took over more than a year ago, I said I wanted the men's team to become 10th by the time my tenure is over. However, after charting their path to qualify for the World Cup (2018) and Olympics (2020), I have renewed my KPI to take the team to eight in the world," said Subahan.
A total of RM900,000 sponsorship has been received for the ACT, and from the traditional yellow, the men and women will now wear orange jerseys as their first kits. Their second and third kits remain blue and white respectively.
The sponsorship is RM500,000 from QNET, RM300,000 from Tenaga Nasional, RM50,000 from Genting Malaysia and RM50,000 from Waz Lian Group of Companies.
Kappa, an Italian sportswear brand, had pledged RM350,000 in sponsorship towards the national men's and women's senior teams for the duration of three years.
"Since the team is known as Tigers, a change from yellow to orange is appropriate," said Subahan.
The ACT will be offering International Hockey Federation (FIH) ranking points for the first time in its Fourth Edition, and to achieve Subahan's KPI, the Tigers need to play in the final of the ACT.
When asked about Malaysia's target in the ACT, Subaha said: "I have my own KPI, and coach Stephen (van Huizen) has his own."
Van Huizen maintained semi-finals in the ACT as his first target.
"We are ranked fourth in Asia and going by ranking, we will aim for the semi-finals first," said van Huizen.
The other teams in the ACT are defending champions Pakistan, Asian Games champions India, South Korea, China and Japan.
The format is easy, as the top-four after a Round Robbin, play in the semi-finals.
JESBIR ... Holding card with I love Tolley (Punjabi slang for Tanjung Tualang)
SERGEANT JESBIR SINGH S/O MOKHTAR SINGH (101575), a passionate member of Sarawak hockey and cricket, passed away Monday.
His last assignment with hockey was during the Sarawak Malaysia Games in August where he was the recorder for the men's and women's finals.
Originally from Tanjung Tualang Sikh Settlement in Perak, Jesbir joined the force when he was 20 years old and has been stationed in Sarawak for the past 32 years.
"I never wanted to leave Perak and cried when I was posted to Sarawak after I finished my police training. But after 32 years, Sarawak has given me everything and I will cry if I am posted back to Malaysia," said Jesbir to this scribe when we met during the Malaysia Games.
Rest In Peace my brother, will miss you.... Had a fantastic time with you for 20 days during the Malaysia Games.
RESIDENCE: No 605 Lorong Kedandi 1, Tabuan Jaya. Kuching.
CREMATION: Expected to be on 12/10/2016 at the Buddhist Village, Jalan Seniawan, Bau.
AMAN Ullah Karim, 85, died on Sunday.
He was among the first batch of hockey players from the Federation of Malaya who represented the country in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics where he scored a total of eight goals.
And the man who played alongside him in Melbourne, Tan Sri P. Alagendra, was beyond grief as all his team-mates have now left him.
"Oh! No... the two of us were the last remaining members of the squad and now Aman has also left," grieved Alagendra.
"Before joining national training, he was Perak's top striker and his darting runs from the left had no answers from the defenders," remembered Alagendra, 86.
Alagendra, who retired as Selangor Chief Police officer, said: "We encountered many difficulties travelling to Melbourne those days, but Aman was always a helping hand. He was a bit quiet and unassuming, but with the ball and stick, he tore the defence apart with ease."
And among the notable goals he scored in 1956 were the two against Australia, but Malaya still lost 3-2.
Aman was a terror in his days, and his school-mate at the Government English School, Tapah, remembers well his mentor and hero.
Datuk R. Yogeswaran, coach of the famous 1975 World Cup team, remembers him well as he received a hockey stick from Aman.
"He was my senior in school, and I used to look up to him as my mentor and hero those days because he was such a terror in Perak. One day, after training, he gave me his hockey stick, which was one of my best moments with him," said Yogeswaran.
Aman later moved to Anderson School.
Yoges also remembers him as one of the best left inside in the country in his days.
"He was referred to as 'half of the Perak strikers' for his speed and when he moved into the semi-circle, the defenders and goalkeeper used to panic," said Yoges.
Aman was an all-rounder as he played cricket, golf and tennis as well.
"After the Melbourne Olympics, he started playing golf and was active at Kelab Golf Negara Subang.
"In the first game against Great Britain, Malaya drew 2-2 and Aman was one of the scorers. In the end he scored a total of eight goals for the nation in our maiden Olympics," said Yogeswaran.
THE three Malaysian teams which made their debut in the Australian Hockey League (AHL) fared miserably against club as well as junior sides in Perth.
Malaysian Tigers, the national team minus three players, finished sixth among 12 teams while the Malaysian Blues (back-up squad) only won one match to finish second from the bottom.
The Malaysian women's national team, Tigress, were at the brink of semi-finals and then almost became the Losers Pool champions but broke down on both occasions to end seventh among 10 teams.
Missing from the Tigers were inspector trainees Razie Rahim and Nabil Fiqri and injured Marhan Jalil -- and there was almost a total collapse.
Marhan's ankle injury, picked up during the Malaysia Hockey League, is so bad that we will be out of action for at least six months.
And hopefully Razie and Nabil are released from their training base in Pulapol for the Kuantan Asian Champions Trophy on Oct 20-30.
For, players in the back-up squad would find it difficult to fill their shoes in Kuantan when playing against India, Pakistan, Japan, South Korea and China.
As for the women, coach K. Dharmaraj said: "For my players, this was a golden opportunity in our preparations for the World League. We had two chances to first qualify for the semi-finals, and then finish at the top of the Losers Pool but over enthusiasm and failing to capture the moment when opportunity presents, was the fumbling block."
Dharmaraj will next lead his women into Singapore for the Women's Asian Champions Trophy on Oct 29-Nov 5 where China, India, Japan and South Korea await them.
HOW THEY FARED -- Tigers: Drew 1-1 with New Zealand Futures, lost 5-2 to Queensland Blades, beat NT Stingers 3-1, lost 5-2 to NSW Waratahs, lost 4-1 to Victorian Vikings, beat Canberra Lakers 3-0 and lost 4-2 to Queensland Blades.
BLUES -- lost 4-2 to India Juniors, lost 2-0 to WA Thundersticks, lost 4-0 to SA Hotshots, lost 3-1 to Canberra Lakers, drew 1-1 with Tassie Tigers, lost 5-1 to NT Stingers, beat New Zealand Futures 3-0.
TIGRESS -- lost 3-1 to New Zealand Futures, beat NT Pearls 7-1, drew 3-3 with NSW Arrows, beat SA Suns 4-2, lost 6-2 to Victorian Vipers, drew 1-1 with New Zealand Futures and lost 3-1 to WA Diamonds.
AHL: Malaysian Tigress in action against New Zealand Futures. Picture By Ferzalfie Fauzi (Harian Metro)
MALAYSIAN Tigers beat Canberra Lakers 3-0 in the Australian Hockey League Fifth-Eighth Classification match in Perth Friday.
The Tigers, which is the national men's team, will play Queensland Blades Saturday to decide their fate in the first season in AHL.
Shahril Saabah (fifth), Haziq Shamsul (seventh) and Ramadhan Rosli (49th) scored for the Tigers.
However the Malaysian Blues, the back-up team, were thrashed 5-1 by NT Stingers in the Ninth-12th Classification match, when only Akhimullah Anuar was on target in the 43rd minute. They play New Zealand Futures Saturday.
The Tigress, women's national team, were held 1-1 by New Zealand Futures in the classification, and now top the losers pool by seven points.
Nurul Nabihah Mansur (42nd) was the scorer for Malaysia.
RESULTS: Men -- Fifth-Eight: Malaysian Tigers 3 Canberra Lakers 0; Ninth-12th: Malaysian Blues 1 NT Stingers 5.
Women: Classification: Malaysian Tigress 1 New Zealand Futures
1.
SATURDAY -- Men: Fifth-Eight: Malaysian Tigers v Queensland Blades; Ninth-12th: Malaysian Blues v New Zealand Futures.
Women: Classification: Malaysian Tigress v WA Diamonds.
