By Bazly Azmi
"KLHC has informed the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) that there is a big possibility that we might not field a team in the 2019 MHL. Players have also been told to be ready to find a new club," said KLHC owner George Koshy
Ini tamparan hebat untuk arena hoki negara.
Sebuah kelab yang memiliki rekod gah degan enam kali kejuaraan liga, juara Piala TNB empat kali, tidak termasuk deretan Piala Sumbangsih dan Piala Tan Sri P Alagendra - akhirnya mahu menarik diri daripada Liga Hoki Malaysia (LHM)
Kelab Hoki Kuala Lumpur (KLHC) menyertai LHM sejak 2010 walaupun sebelum itu mereka dikenali sebagai Ernst & Young (E&Y).
Gergasi ini pernah dibarisi pemain ternama kebangsaan seperti Mirnawan Nawawi, Rodhanizam Mat Radzi, mendiang Chua Boon Huat, Zulkifli Rejab, Ismail Abu, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin Tengku Abdul Jalil, Sukri Mutalib, Muhammad Razie Abd Rahim hinggalah generasi baru seperti Mohd Haziq Shamsul.
"KLHC sudah memaklumkan Konfederasi Hoki Malaysia (KHM) bahawa kami kemungkinan besar tidak akan menyertai LHM 2019. Pemain sudah dimaklumkan untuk bersiap-sedia mencari pasukan baru," kata pemilik kelab, George Koshy.
"Keputusan ini cukup mengecewakan. Tidak sangka, kelab besar seperti KLHC akan tutup kedai. Kami sudah mengecap semua kejuaraan domestik malah pernah bergelar juara kelab Asia (2007)," kata kapten, Sukri Mutalib.
"Satu pengalaman indah menyarung jersi E&Y. Saya harap kelab ini dapat diselamatkan kerana mereka sudah menetapkan penanda aras yang tinggi dalam liga," kata Datuk Mirnawan Nawawi.
KLHC tidak memaklumkan punca pembubaran mereka tetapi dipercayai ada kaitan dengan kewangan.
George jadi pelabur tunggal sejak 2010 dan untuk setiap musim, beliau terpaksa mengeluarkan kos sendiri hampir RM2,000,000 untuk saingan selama dua bulan.
Adakah beliau mendapat pulangan? Adakah beliau dihargai? Adakah beliau mampu memastikan KLHC masih kompetitif untuk tempoh 10 tahun lagi?
Perlu diingatkan, suntikan dana kelab seperti Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) dan Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) kian bertambah. Unikl contohnya, sedang menunggu stadium mereka disiapkan (dijangka Mei ini).
Mereka akan muncul kelab pertama di Malaysia memiliki stadium dan rumah kelab sendiri.
Persoalan paling besar, jika KLHC yang gah dengan Piala Sumbangsih, Piala Tan Sri P Alagendra dan muncul naib juara liga serta Piala TNB boleh menarik diri, bagaimana dengan pasukan kecil lain?
Bagaimana dengan Maybank, TNB Thunderbolt?
Jika KLHC boleh menarik diri, apa akan berlaku kepada LHM? Adakah KHM hanya memerhatikan kelab elit melangkah pergi?
Saya pernah menyuarakan kebimbangan dalam program Sidang Sukan bahawa LHM akan terkubur jika KHM berdiam diri, meneruskan penganjuran setiap tahun tanpa penambahbaikan, tanpa mengkaji nilai komersial liga.
Akhirnya, kebimbangan itu berlaku.
Semoga George dapat cari jalan penyelesaian tapi jika gagal, selamat tinggal KLHC!
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Sunday, March 11, 2018
Malaysia end fourth
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia lost the Azlan Shah Cup bronze medal by a whisker when they were beaten by Olympic champions Argentina 3-2 in a pulsating encounter Saturday.
Argentina took a 2-0 lead off Juan Lopez (first minute), and Gonzalo Peillat (22nd), but Joel van Huizen (24th) and Faizal Shaari (27th) drew level for Malaysia.
Pedro Ibarra nailed the winner off a 49th minute penalty corner attempt.
There was drama until the final seconds, as Malaysia removed goalkeeper Hafizuddin Othman and replaced him with an extra defender, and almost scored but luck was not with them.
With five seconds on the clock, Azri Hassan and Faizal Shaari failed to touch a bouncing ball, hit from outside the semi-circle, which went sailing in.
The video referal cooled down edgy Argentina nerves, as it cleary showed Asri missing the bouncing ball by centimetres, followed by another centimetre miss by Faizal.
The Argentinians emerged champions in Ipoh in 2008 and runners-up four years later while Malaysians have yet to win the title since the inception of the tournament in 1983.
RESULTS: Final -- Australia 2 England 1, Third-Fourth: Argentina 3 Malaysia 2; Fifth-Sixth: India 4 Ireland 1.
Friday, March 9, 2018
England rule Malaysia, again...
IPOH: MALAYSIA blew a super chance to play in the final of the 27th Azlan Shah Cup, when they crumbled 7-2 to England Friday.
Earlier in the day Australia had beaten Argentina 3-1 to shut the door on the South Americans, and all Malaysia had to do was to beat England.
Malaysia will now play Argentina for the bronze, while England and Australia will battle for the gold.
Malaysia had beaten Argentina 2-1 at the group stages, but going by current form, the Olympic champions start as favourites for bronze.
Yesetrday, after missing two early penalty corners, coach Stephen van Huizen's men were a defensive nightmare and conceeded three goals in the first quarter itself.
For the record, England had hammered Malaysia 7-3 in the World League Semifinals Group A match, and then beat Malaysia 4-1 in the Third-Fourth placing match.
The English goals were scored by Mark Gleghorne (10th, 48th), Ollie Willars (11th), Barry Middleton (15th, 31st), Sam Ward (38th, 41st), .
Razie Rahim (50th) and Marhan Jalil (52nd) scored for Malaysia.
World champions Australia beat Olympics champions Argentina 3-1 with goals from Aaron Kleinschmidt (25th, 56th) and Trent Mitton (55th).
Gonzalo Peillat scored for Argentina off a 21st minute penalty corner.
Australia has been enjoying winning streaks against the Argentinians since the 2012 London Olympics. They last defeated Argentina 2-1 at the 2017 Orrisa Men’s Hockey World League final in Bhubaneswar, India.
Australia coach Colin Batch said: "Looking back at the five games played, we have been consistent with what we do and today we did not start as well as we wanted, and Argentina obviously got in front.
"They are playing well and good credit to my players in the comeback to level firstly and then win the game in the last couple of minutes of the fourth quarter.
"We know that good consistence performance is what we want in our team. We are never a team that just rely on one player. We are pleased with that result and scored the goals under difficult situations and conditions.
"We also know that penalty corners are important for Argentina and Andrew Charter made some good saves at the back. We know we can rely on both our goalkeepers.
"We are looking forward to Saturday's final."
RESULTS: Argentina 3 Australia 1, Ireland 3 India 2, Malaysia 2 England 7.
SATURDAY: Final -- Australia v England (8.30pm), Third-Fourth: Argentina v Malaysia (6.0pm); Fifth-Sixth: India v Ireland (3.30pm).
STANDINGS
P W D L F A Pts
AUSTRALIA 5 5 0 0 18 6 15
ENGLAND 5 2 2 1 14 9 8
ARGENTINA 5 2 1 2 11 11 7
MALAYSIA 5 2 0 3 10 17 6
INDIA 5 1 1 3 12 12 4
IRELAND 5 1 0 4 9 19 3
Earlier in the day Australia had beaten Argentina 3-1 to shut the door on the South Americans, and all Malaysia had to do was to beat England.
Malaysia will now play Argentina for the bronze, while England and Australia will battle for the gold.
Malaysia had beaten Argentina 2-1 at the group stages, but going by current form, the Olympic champions start as favourites for bronze.
Yesetrday, after missing two early penalty corners, coach Stephen van Huizen's men were a defensive nightmare and conceeded three goals in the first quarter itself.
For the record, England had hammered Malaysia 7-3 in the World League Semifinals Group A match, and then beat Malaysia 4-1 in the Third-Fourth placing match.
The English goals were scored by Mark Gleghorne (10th, 48th), Ollie Willars (11th), Barry Middleton (15th, 31st), Sam Ward (38th, 41st), .
Razie Rahim (50th) and Marhan Jalil (52nd) scored for Malaysia.
World champions Australia beat Olympics champions Argentina 3-1 with goals from Aaron Kleinschmidt (25th, 56th) and Trent Mitton (55th).
Gonzalo Peillat scored for Argentina off a 21st minute penalty corner.
Australia has been enjoying winning streaks against the Argentinians since the 2012 London Olympics. They last defeated Argentina 2-1 at the 2017 Orrisa Men’s Hockey World League final in Bhubaneswar, India.
Australia coach Colin Batch said: "Looking back at the five games played, we have been consistent with what we do and today we did not start as well as we wanted, and Argentina obviously got in front.
"They are playing well and good credit to my players in the comeback to level firstly and then win the game in the last couple of minutes of the fourth quarter.
"We know that good consistence performance is what we want in our team. We are never a team that just rely on one player. We are pleased with that result and scored the goals under difficult situations and conditions.
"We also know that penalty corners are important for Argentina and Andrew Charter made some good saves at the back. We know we can rely on both our goalkeepers.
"We are looking forward to Saturday's final."
RESULTS: Argentina 3 Australia 1, Ireland 3 India 2, Malaysia 2 England 7.
SATURDAY: Final -- Australia v England (8.30pm), Third-Fourth: Argentina v Malaysia (6.0pm); Fifth-Sixth: India v Ireland (3.30pm).
STANDINGS
P W D L F A Pts
AUSTRALIA 5 5 0 0 18 6 15
ENGLAND 5 2 2 1 14 9 8
ARGENTINA 5 2 1 2 11 11 7
MALAYSIA 5 2 0 3 10 17 6
INDIA 5 1 1 3 12 12 4
IRELAND 5 1 0 4 9 19 3
AZLAN SHAH CUP: Ireland 3 India 2
RESULTS: Argentina 3 Australia 1, Ireland 3 India 2, Malaysia x England
x.
STANDINGS
P W D L F A Pts
AUSTRALIA 5 5 0 0 18 6 15
ARGENTINA 5 2 1 2 11 11 7
MALAYSIA 4 2 0 2 8 10 6
ENGLAND 4 1 2 1 7 7 5
INDIA 5 1 1 3 12 12 4
IRELAND 5 1 0 4 9 19 3
ENDS/
x.
STANDINGS
P W D L F A Pts
AUSTRALIA 5 5 0 0 18 6 15
ARGENTINA 5 2 1 2 11 11 7
MALAYSIA 4 2 0 2 8 10 6
ENGLAND 4 1 2 1 7 7 5
INDIA 5 1 1 3 12 12 4
IRELAND 5 1 0 4 9 19 3
ENDS/
JHL: SSTMI Thunderbolts 7 SSTMI juniors 0
KUALA LUMPUR: Junior Hockey League (JHL) Division One Overall champions Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) Thunderbolts whipped SSTMI Juniors 7-0 on Friday.
And after this, the JHL will take a break for the National Under-16 tournament on March 17-25.
But after the break, SSTMI Thunderbolts will square off against Division One Overall runners-up Pahang Sports School Thunderbolts on March 28.
Yesterday, Pahang SS beat last season's League champions Petaling Jaya City Council (PJCC) 3-1.
When told about the Pahang schools win, SSTMI Thunderbolts coach Wan Roslan Wan Rahman was taken aback.
"Oh really? Pahang won?," was his shocked response.
"That's news to me. And it only means we can't afford a break during the National Under-16 tournament break. None of my players will be competing in the Under-16, and so we will have to train harder to collect full points from Pahang," said Wan Roslan.
There are four Thunderbolts teams in the Under-19 JHL, funded and trained by Tenaga Nasional. The other two are Bukit Jalil Sports School and Anderson of Ipoh.
RESULTS: Division One -- Pahang SS Thunderbolts 3 PJCC Tigers 1, SSTMI 0 SSTMI Thunderbolts 7.
And after this, the JHL will take a break for the National Under-16 tournament on March 17-25.
But after the break, SSTMI Thunderbolts will square off against Division One Overall runners-up Pahang Sports School Thunderbolts on March 28.
Yesterday, Pahang SS beat last season's League champions Petaling Jaya City Council (PJCC) 3-1.
When told about the Pahang schools win, SSTMI Thunderbolts coach Wan Roslan Wan Rahman was taken aback.
"Oh really? Pahang won?," was his shocked response.
"That's news to me. And it only means we can't afford a break during the National Under-16 tournament break. None of my players will be competing in the Under-16, and so we will have to train harder to collect full points from Pahang," said Wan Roslan.
There are four Thunderbolts teams in the Under-19 JHL, funded and trained by Tenaga Nasional. The other two are Bukit Jalil Sports School and Anderson of Ipoh.
RESULTS: Division One -- Pahang SS Thunderbolts 3 PJCC Tigers 1, SSTMI 0 SSTMI Thunderbolts 7.
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