Dharmaraj dares to dream..

MEN AT WORK.. Dharmaraj under the spotlight.

By Jugjet Singh

August 3, 2018 @ 7:53pm

KUALA LUMPUR: National women's hockey coach K. Dharmaraj has taken up the Malaysian Hockey Confederation's (MHC) challenge for a podium finish at the Jakarta Asian Games.

  In the Games where only the gold medallists qualifies for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Malaysia are in Group A with China, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan, while in Group B are South Korea, India, Thailand, Kazakhstan and Indonesia.
  "If I had been asked to deliver a medal in the last Asian Games, I would have said its not possible because we were not ready yet back in 2014.
  "But after three years with the team, and watching them grow in confidence during the five friendlies in Australia, I can now say that we are ready to take up the challenge of a podium finish," said Dharmaraj.
  In Brisbane, Dharmaraj's girls started with 1-1 and 2-2 draws before winning 3-1, 2-1 and 3-2.
  "In all my years with the girls' team, they have no been consistent, meaning there was never a time that they did not have one or two bad days in a tournament or friendlies.
  "But in Brisbane, where we played with the Australian League champions minus five of their national players who are competing in the London World Cup, my players grew in confidence after each match.
  "Now I can say they are ready for the Games, and we will go for a podium finish.
  "I will now adapt the same policy with these girls which I held when coaching the men's national juniors team.
  "People never gave us a chance at the beginning but we won gold at the Sultan of Johor Cup and Junior Asia Cup and then fourth in the Junior World Cup.
  The women will be travelling to Jakarta on Category B, where they must win a medal to be reimbursed.
  In the last Games, Malaysia ended fifth.
  For the record, the only medal ever won by Malaysian women at the Asian Games was a bronze in New Delhi 1982 when there were no playoffs as it was a round-robin tournament.

It's not a holiday, warns Selvaraju...

MAN ON A MISSION .. Selvaraju (third from left) being recognised for his role in getting clubs to hire Malaysian women.


By Naqib Nor Said
naqib@nstp.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Former national player S. Selvaraju warned the four women's hockey players heading to play in Germany and Italy not to take it as a holiday, but pave the way for others to follow suit.
  Selvaraju was the middleman who secured playing contracts for 
Nuraini Rashid and Fatin Syafika Sukri with Butterfly Roma in Italy while Hanis Nadiah Onn and Wan Norfaiezah Saiuti will play with German club Wespen Zehlendorfer.
  For the first time, Malaysian women will not be going overseas on National Sports Council paid-attachments, but fully paid by clubs for their services.
  Selvaraju, who has played with 13 overseas clubs to date, said: "Malaysia has many talented players in the men's and women's teams but they find it difficult to play overseas because of language, food and different playing styles becoming main barriers.
  "But these clubs were are to give our women a chance, and take my word, because I have successfully done the same with our men before.
   Three more coach K. Dharmaraj's players -- Raja Norsharina Shabuddin, Surizan Awang Noh and Nuraslinda Said -- are on the waiting list because the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) is still in discussion with Uddingston HC in Glasgow, Scotland.
  Meanwhile, Wespen Zehlendorfer's team manager said: "We are newcomers in Division One and so, I believe it was a smart move by us to have two of Malaysia's top players with us for two months.
  "It will also have a good impact on our relationship with the Malaysian HC as earlier we have fielded men's national palayers in our club (Baljit Singh Charun, Harvinder Singh, S. Selvaraju and Shazrul Imran Nazli).
  Butterfly Roma are also newcomers in Italy's Division One and will be coached by Argentine Sergio Herrera this season.

World Cup might help Dharmaraj's girls

By Jugjet Singh

August 2, 2018 @ 5:49pm

KUALA LUMPUR: National women's coach K. Dharmaraj feels there are positives and negatives which will effect his charges in the Jakarta Asian Games, from the ongoing World Cup in London.

  With the Games just 15 days away, Japan, China, India and South Korea played or are playing in the World Cup, and Dharmaraj said it might work against the teams mental and psychological preparations.

  In the Asian Games where the gold medallists qualifies for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Malaysia are in Group A with China, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan, while in Group B are South Korea, India, Thailand, Kazakhstan and Indonesia.

  "Japan and China are in our group in Jakarta and even though they only played three games in the World Cup and did not qualify for the quarter-finals, both the teams will still feel the strain of playing at such a big stage and then travelling home and after a few days of rest and light training, they will be off to Indonesia.

  "This might work against their players who were put under so much of pressure to prepare for the World Cup, and then have to cope with the fact that they did not live up to their country's expectations.

  "It would be difficult for players in such a situation to try and peak again at the Asian Games," said Dharmaraj.

  Malaysia need to beat either Japan or China as Hong Kong and Taiwan are out of coach Dharmaraj's teams league.

  "Not taking any team lightly, I believe my players should collect full points against Hong Kong and Taiwan and so, if we can upset either one of the World Cup teams in our group -- we will qualify for the semi-finals," said Dharmaraj.

  The positive side for both the teams is that they prepared for the Asian Games by playing tough matches in London.

  In the World Cup Japan lost 3-2 to Australia, 6-3 to Belgium and beat New Zealand 2-1; while China 

  China lost 3-0 to Italy, 7-1 to Netherlands and drew 1-1 with South Korea.

  "The fact that they played against some of the best in women's hockey could be turned into a positive element by their coaches, with the right approach."

  And the positive for Dharmaraj's girls?

  "We have a compilation of their matches in London, and the coaching staff is studying them to come out with a plan for upset(s)," said Dharmaraj.

  South Korea also went home after the group stages, and only India made it to the quarter-finals -- making them the early favoutites in Asian Games.

Malaysian 55+ vets play Netherlands in last four

MALAYSIA 55+ in blue against Germany Wednesday.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian veterans' 55+ team lost their last Group C match 2-1 to Germany, and will play Netherlands in the quarter-finals of the Masters Hockey World Cup in Terrassa, Spain.
  Germany took a 2-0 lead, before skipper Sarjit Singh scored Malaysia's goal in the 46th minute.
  However, the 45+ Malaysian team lost 7-0 to Spain Wednesday. They started with a 2-1 win over Scotland, but lost 3-0 to France and 7-2 to Germany in Group B and will play in the 9th-12th position.
  After a day's rest, the 55+ will play in the knock-out on Friday.
  "It was a good match against Germany, and even though we tried to claw back into the match, they defended well.
  "Now, we need to keep our structure and make sure we do not miss any sitters against Netherlands. I have watched the Dutch play and I believe we have a 50-50 chance against them," said Sarjit whose team ended second in Group C.
  According to Sarjit, the favourites so far in the 55+ are Australia.

Malaysia 55+ beat Italy 3-1

MALAYSIA 55+: Surinder Singh (left) in action against Italy.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian veterans' 55+ team beat Italy 3-1 in Group C of the Masters Hockey World Cup in Terrassa, Spain.
  It was their third consecutive win, and their last group match is against Germany Wednesday.
  Currently, the 55+ have qualified for the quarter-finals, but according to team captain Sarjit Singh, they will go all out to beat Germany.
  "Even though we had qualified for the quarter-finals before entering the pitch against Italy, we never let it get into our heads.
  "And it will be the same against Germany, we will try to beat them to keep a clean record before planning for the knock-out," said Sarjit.
  Italy took the lead, but two field goals from Derek Fidelis and a penalty stroke from Raymond Tio handed Malaysia full points.
  However, the 45+ Malaysian team suffered their second defeat in Group B when they lost 7-2 to Germany, and will play Spain Wednesday.