KLHC champs, yet again...

When the TNB Malaysian Hockey League got underway, many had written off defending champions KL Hockey Club, especially when they lost six national players to Terengganu HT.

But champions are made and not born, and with that in mind, manager George Koshy and coach K. Dharmaraj started building the team again and in that process made some intelligent signings, especially foreign players.

That was not all for even the youngsters turned out to be key players in their quest to retain the titles they had won. And today part of that journey for redemption was completed when KLHC defeated Maybank 4-2 to retain the TNBMHL league title at the USM Stadium in Penang.

What made it more impressive was the fact that KLHC has retained the league title with two matches to spare and for Koshy, this is the first step.

"It is always good to win and more importantly play well in the process. No doubt that we were written off but I guess that only spurred the players to play better and as a result we have the league title in the bag," said Koshy.

"But we are not about to take our foot off the pedal as we intend to keep the momentum going and play our best team in the remaining two matches. The knockout stage is a totally new ball game and we will take it one match at a time.

"It was a very competitive league and really it is always difficult to defend a title. I am pround of what the players have done but there is still unfinished business as so far as I am concerned."

Indeed the celebrations by the KLHC players were muted and Chua Boon Huat summed it up: " We have to forget the win and focus on defending the TNB Cup."

For mayban coach Wallace Tan, the failure to land the league title was a dissapointment but all is not lost.

"We have to try win the runner up spot and to do that we need to win the remaining matches. It was a good performance today but we failed to make use of the chances that we created," said Wallace.

KLHC took an early lead as Muhammad Imran converted a penalty corner in the 3rd minute. A brilliant reverse stick hit by Akhtar Ali in the 15th minute doubled KLHC's advantage.

But a deflection by Imran past his keeper Roslan Jamaluddin gave Maybank a lifeline in the 26h minute. And seconds before te halftime hooter, Shakeel Abbasi put Maybank on level terms.

KLHC were undeterred ad went 3-2 ahead through Muhammad Umar Bhutta in the 48th minute before Muhammad Najib Hassan made sure of the title with a goal in the 61st minute.

Idris gets help from ex-Besut MP

KUALA TERENGGANU: There was neither time nor reason to sulk, so former Besut member of parliament Datuk Dr Abdullah Mohd Zain immediately set out to ensure that Barisan Nasional candidate Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh would win in the constituency.

A day after Terengganu BN chairman Datuk Seri Ahmad Said announced the candidates' list, Dr Abdullah paid a visit to Idris to work out a strategy to ensure BN makes a clean sweep of the parliamentary constituency and its four state seats.
"I am with Idris right now, and we just had a discussion on how to make a concerted effort to ensure BN makes a clean sweep again.
"I will be lending Idris a hand, there is no doubt about that," said Dr Abdullah yesterday.
The four state seats will be contested by Dr A. Rahman Mokhtar (Kuala Besut), Mohamed Mahadi Musa (Kota Putra), Muhammad Pehimi Yusof (Jerteh) and Nawi Mohamed (Hulu Besut).
"In fact, my wife, who is Wanita Umno chief here, has also started campaigning for Idris among the women."
Asked about support from the ground, he said the people in Besut were solidly behind BN.
"I do not see any problems in Besut and we will deliver our part of the bargain to ensure a big win for BN," he said.

Money can't sway this lad..

Just before the season began, Mohd Noor Faeez Ibrahim had second thoughts about playing for UniKL in the TNB Malaysian Hockey League as was made an offer too good to refuse by Terengganu HT.

But he did not trek east as did many other players and it could well be the best decision this budding player made for the good of his career. For the diminutive Faeez, or Petak as he is nicknamed, is amongst the top scorers in the MHL.

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He has scored a total of 8 goals, and is in third spot, behind Faisal Saari (10 goals) and Khasif Ali (9) goals. and what is more remarkable is taht Faeez has scored two thirds of UniKL's total goals for the season that stand at 12 currently.

Winning the top scorer award is within his reach and it will not be something new for the 2009 Junior Hockey League top scorer. Faeez was also voted as the most promising player in the 2009 Razak Cup in Kuala Lumpur land named the best player in the South East Asia (SEA) Cup in Bangkok in 2009.

Last night (Tuesday) was another feather in the cap of the player who lists Usain Bolt as his sports hero. For Faeez led his national junior team onto the stage to receive the 2012 Best Team Award in the National Sports Award.

They were picked for winning the Junior Asia Cup in May 2012, the first time ever Malaysia won the title and assured them a place in the 2013 Junior World Cup.

However Faeez will not be playing in the Junior World cup as he is overaged.

"It is a wonderful momment and we never expected to win the award given that there are many senior teams that have also done well last year. It is indeed an honour for us and this will spur the team to do better in the Junior World Cup in India this December," said the soft spoken Faeez who played for Hatem Hockey Club in the Dutch second division two years ago.

"The team has talent and just needs to believe in their ability to ensure at least a top six finish in India."

Faeez shoulders a heavy responsibility for UniKL, as not only is he the key player in penalty corners, but also man's the UniKL defence. The fact that the team comprises of youngsters, with the exception of the likes of S. Selvaraju and Baljot Singh, adds pressure on Faeez to churn out consistent performances, week in and week out.

"We go out onto the pitch without any pressure as the opponents have more experienced players. Hence that helps us play our game and it does not put us under unnecessary pressure," said Faeez.

"But we tend to make mistakes, some that are due to lack of experience while others through trying to overdo things, and these factors cost us points and also we concede goals as well.

"But overall I think we are doing relatively well in the MHL, though we are unlucky at times. We are giving the more established sides a run for their money andnot being outclassed on the pitch."

Faeez started playing hockey for Sekolah Kebangsaan Rantau Panjang in Klang before moving to the Bandar Penawar Sports School ( now known as Sekolah Sukan Tengku Mahkota Ismail).

With fishing as his hobby, the well mannered Faeez is a joy to watch on the pitch when let loose to join the attack. His reading of the games, with astute positioning and cool tackling has allowed UniKL to get out of trouble many a time.

"UniKL is one big happy family and the officials have been great in encouraging us. What UniKL is doing for hockey should be emulated by other institutions of higher learning as not only do they give youngsters a chance to improve in hockey but also provide education opportunities that will serve us well in the future,"added Faeez.

"We need to get some points in Penang this weekend and I really hope taht we get a good draw for the last eight."

Down with election fever...

Sports takes a back-seat until May 5 for me, as I have been roped in to help in the election campaign for the New Straits Times.
  There will be some updates, but copy and pasty kind, as I struggle to get to grips with the election fever in Terengganu.
  Besut will be my home for more than 22 days, and after three days here, I am slowly blending into the local crowd.

Terengganu hurdle once more..

 KUALA Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) coach K. Dharmaraj has cautioned his charges not to take the first leg results against Terengganu as a yardstick when both the teams square off again in the second round of the Malaysia Hockey League today (SUNDAY).
  Double champions KLHC whipped Terengganu 5-0 in the first leg last weekend in Kuantan, but are wary of the East Coast side which had pinched six of their best in a pre-season signing frenzy.
  "Terengganu have the players to upset any team on their day, and I have the pleasure of coaching some of them for many years before they moved on, so I know heir strength.
  "We did beat them with a high score last weekend, but that can't be used as an excuse to take them lightly. My players know the score, and they will give their best again," said Dharmaraj who is also the national juniors coach.
  Last season, KLHC had beaten Sapura 5-0 in the first leg, but ended up with a 1-1 draw in the return leg.
  "We have a sobering lesson to rely from last season, as we hit five goals past Sapura but ended up with a 1-1 draw when we became complacent in the second leg.
  "I have pointed this out to my players, and they know their work it cut out, and there is no Sunday rest," said Dharmaraj.
  And the good news for Dharmaraj is that all his charges are injury-free while his foreign legion of Pakistan players have proved themselves to be assets.
  KLHC are cruising towards the League title as their nearest contenders are Tenaga Nasional and Maybank, while the rest of the Premier Division sides have fallen by the wayside.
   SATURDAY: Premier Division -- Maybank x Tenaga Nasional x.
  SUNDAY: Premier Division -- UniKL v Sapura (National Stadium I, 6pm),
Nur Insafi v Maybank (National Stadium II, 6pm), KLHC v Terengganu
(National Stadium II, 8pm).

STANDINGS

PREMIER DIVISION

             P  W  D  L  F  A   Pts
KLHC         7  6  1  0  30  10  19
TNB          7  4  3  0  24  12  15
Maybank      6  4  0  2  21  17  12
Sapura       7  2  2  3  17  17   8
Tgganu       7  2  1  4  17  20   7
UniKL        7  2  0  5  10  22   6
N Insafi     7  0  1  6   6  27   1