skip to main |
skip to sidebar
FINALLY: MHC made special medals for the women who won silver in the WL RD2 in Kuala Lumpur...MHC pic
THE Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) held their Ninth Executive Board meeting yesterday and reiterated that they will do everything possible for the women to qualify for their first World Cup.
Also the MHC are optimistic that the men will not only play in the World League Round Two final in Dhaka, but also defend their title won in the WL Round Two in Singapore.
The MHC also feted a group of orphans at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur and gave them pocket money as well.
Both the men's and women's national players were present at the lunch, where the women were also presented with World League Round Two medals.
(Note: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) only handed out the challenge trophy to Ireland, while no individual medals were given to the winner and Malaysia).
"We have plans leading to the Women's World League Semifinals where the players will head for Europe to play more than a dozen friendlies. This will help them to try and qualify for their first World Cup," said MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal.
As for the Sea Games, where four gold medals are on offer in hockey, Subahan is also confident that a clean sweep will be made even though the indoor teams are not in serious training yet.
Two field and two indoor gold medals will be offered in the August Sea Games.
"Since the men are involved in the MHL and also do not have a venue to train for indoor, they will start preparations at a later date. however, the women have been training for indoor in Klang. We are confident that all four gold medals will be delivered by our players," said Subahan.
Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club player Kevin Lim and former national coach Paul Lissek have been roped in to help in the indoor campaign -- as both have experience on its specifications while they were in Germany.
Pic: National defender Baljit Singh playing for UniKL.
THE top-two teams in the Premier Division of the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) face a deciding weekend to claim the League title which is expected to go to the wire.
Charity Shield holders Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) and double champions Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) are tied on 30 points after 12 matches, and THT only lead the standings on goals -- all 20 of them.
Friday, THT must beat Maybank while KLHA are in the same boat against Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) -- for a final face-off on Sunday for the title.
Both teams can't afford any slip-ups as Maybank and UniKL have had a yo-yo season by losing to weaker sides, but holding or beating better teams.
"I am preparing the team for the Maybank match tomorrow (Friday) and even though they are fifth (with five wins and one draw from 12 matches) they have shown their abilities by beating UniKL (4-1 on Wednesday).
"We can't afford to lose any points, if we want to defend our title on Sunday against KLHA," said THT coach Sarjit Singh.
Maybank were hammered 7-3 by schoolboys TNB Thunderbolts, but they also have a 2-2 draw against Tenaga Nasional and the win against UniKL to indicate that teams can't take them lightly.
KLHC must also win against another erratic team UniKL to challenge for the title.
"As I said before, I believe the title will be won at the last day of the League and its heading towards that provided we keep our heads over water against UniKL tomorrow (Friday)," said KLHC team manager Ahmad Anuar Sham.
Meanwhile, Oman and Egypt will train in Malaysia for the World League Round Two in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on March 4-12 -- Reports S.S. Dhaliwal.
They are expected to arrive by Feb 19, and train in Malaysia until March 1 before heading for Dhaka.
Malaysia, Fiji, Oman and Bangladesh are in Group A while China, Egypt, Fiji and Sri Lanka are in Group B. The finalists will play in the World League Semifinals which is a Qualifier for the 2018 World Cup in India.
FRIDAY: Terengganu HT v Maybank (Malacca, 5pm), UniKL v Kuala Lumpur HC (KLHA, 6pm), Tenaga v SSTMI (KLHA, 8pm), TNB Thunderbolts v SSTMI (SSTMI, 5pm).
SUNDAY: Tenaga Nasional v UniKL (KLHA, 6pm), Kuala Lumpur HC v Terengganu HT (KLHA, 8pm), SSTMI v TNB Thunderbolts (SSTMI, 5pm), Maybank v UiTM-KPT (Malacca, 6pm).
STANDINGS
P W D L F A Pts
T'GGANU HT 12 9 3 0 66 9 30
KLHC 12 9 3 0 55 18 30
UNIKL 12 7 2 3 34 16 23
TENAGA 12 6 4 2 35 19 22
MAYBANK 12 5 1 6 27 33 16
THUNDERBOLTS 12 3 1 8 20 42 10
UITM-KPT 12 0 2 10 15 64 2
SSTMI 12 0 2 10 7 58 2
NATIONAL player Shahril Saabah scored a last minute goal to hand Tenaga Nasional an upset 3-3 draw over Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) in the Premier Division of the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) Wednesday.
All-local outfit Tenaga were 0-2 down by the 19th minute, but played a super game after the second half to hold KHLC who have four foreign imports and nine national players at their disposal.
The draw saw KLHC back on level terms with Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) on 30 points with two more matches to decide the League champions.
"We had noting to lose and gave our very best against KLHC to try and finish third in the League. Credit to my players who did not give up until the last second to steal a point from favourites KLHC," said Tenaga coach Amin Rahim.
On Sunday, Universiti Kuala Lumpur and THT played to a 2-2 draw which faoured KLHC to lift the title, but today the cards changed hands again after KLHC drew with Tenaga.
THT have two more matches to complete their leage -- aganst Maybank and KLHC next weekend.
While KLHC have UniKL before playing THT for the title.
KLHC coach Ahmad Anuar Sham said: "It was an unfortunate draw with a last minute equaliser. Now, we have two more tough matches to win if we want to lay our hands on the League title."
For the record THT are the defending League and Overall title holders.
Yesterday, Anton Poul Fritz (15th), Rashid Baharom (19th) and Casey Dawsond (57th) scored for KLHC, while Najib Abu Hassan (22nd), Azammi Adabi (38th) and Shahril Saabah (60th) delivered for Tenaga.
RESULTS: Kuala Lumpur HC 3 Tenaga Nasional 3, Terengganu Hockey Team 3 TNB Thunderbolts 0,
The Fiji mens hockey team after their training yesterday.Picture ATU RASEA.
NOTE: Fiji are in Group A with Malaysia, Oman and Bangladesh.
In Group B are China, Ghana, Egypt and Sri Lanka.
NATIONAL hockey men's team is ready for the Hockey World League Round 2 which will held in Bangladesh on March 4-12.
The Fiji Hockey Association president Robin Mitchell said they faced problems with the funding for the tournament in terms of transportation and levy for the players. However, it had been sorted out.
"We had both teams qualified, but the women's team were to go to Malaysia last month, but after looking at our situation we decided not to go.
"The women have higher chances of improving their rankings in the Oceania Cup in Sydney, Australia in October," Mitchell said.
"The main purpose of the competition is to get our team qualified for the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia next year.
"We have decided to focus on the men's team as they are ranked 18th in the Commonwealth Games.
Mitchell said the players had been preparing well with the coach Hector Smith.
"The funding is going on quite well as we have paid our air tickets and it is those little things which adds up that we have to address and we would prefer to have money because there are also ongoing programs," he added.
"We also have got the under-18 qualification for the Youth Olympic Games. We have selected the squad after a secondary school competition.
"We are leaving in two and a half weeks and we have got confirmation of the grants given where the levy of the players is paid and we are also doing our own fundraising."
The team leaves for Bangladesh on March 1.
The Fiji Times
Pic: The Malaysian Indian Sports and Cultural Foundation-Universal Fitness & Leisure (MISCF-UFL) team after playing against Old La Sallians Association of Klang (Olak) in preparation for the Junior Hockey League on March 31.
By Jugjet Singh
COLUMN
THERE is so much of hockey being played around the country that it's puzzling why Malaysia are still ranked 13th in the World.
Hockey is not only a sport, but its also a big money-making industry, from the millions needed to lay an artificial pitch to the equipment which has undergone tremendous change over the years.
A good hockey stick ranges from RM400 to RM1,500 -- one for the development players, the other for state and national players or those whose parents can afford it.
Goalkeepers equipment (cheapest RM3,000), balls, shin pads, mouth guards, artificial pitch shoes, socks, field bookings right up to the refreshments during the break all cost a bomb these days.
Not to mention the coaches salaries from the highest level to the grassroots -- all 1,500 certified coaches according to the last study done in 1997, after which no study was conducted for latest numbers.
But still, it has not stopped hockey from mushrooming around the country.
Take for exmple the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Stadium in Japan Pantai.
Yesterday, as usual, it was packed with hockey players of all standards and sizes.
The KLHA Under-16 squad started at 8am to train for the National Under-16 squad which will be held on March 18-26 at the same venue.
This was followed by a friendly match between Old La Sallians Association of Klang (Olak) with Malaysian Indian Sports and Cultural Foundation-Universal Fitness & Leisure (MISCF-UFL)
They were preparing for the Junior Hockey League which is slated to start on March 31.
But even before Olak and MISCF-UFL packed their bags, Convent Bukit Nanas girls walked onto the picth -- and it was blazing hot at 12 noon.
And later in the evening, there was 1Mas training followed by the Malaysia Hockey League Premier Division matches.
Hockey whole day, and almost every day at every artificial pitch around the country for the last five years but we're still 13th in the World.
So, its a real puzzle as there is plenty of action at the grassroots but still, the eight Premier Division teams struggle to find quality local players and need to hire foreign imports.
But the imports have not shown any signs of being better than the locals, expect for Jang Jong Hyung from South Korea, who has scored 19 goals for Terengganu Hockey Team to place them at the top of the table.
However, Malaysia have a super chance of moving up the rankings when they play in the World League Round Two match in Dhaka on March 4-12.
With the other teams in Dhaka being of mediocre standard, Malaysia should win gold again like they did in the World League Round Two in Singapore by whipping Poland 8-0 in the final.
And with the World Cup being a 16-team format, Malaysia are almost a sure bet to play in India in 2018 and improrve on their rankings.
But even if they don't qualify for the World Cup, hockey will still be played at a furious state at the grassroots and clubs and MHL as well as JHL, Razak Cup, Azlan Shah Cup, Sultan of Johor Cup, Alagendra Cup, Malaysia Games, Under-14, Under-16, 1Mas tournaments -- and the expensive equipments will still be purchased at a furious state for the next five years and counting.
