Hockey Asia was kind enough to pen me a note which i am permitted to reproduce. It is interesting for it provides an "outsider's" view of certain modus operandi of MHF and AHF.
They have some good ideas that would have helped Malaysian and Asian hockey but they had to face the mammoth task of interacting with people having antiquated outlooks. This unfortunately is a common phenomenon and is best summed up by a Polish philosopher that: "introducing the new is not a real problem but it is getting rid of the old that makes things difficult".
This probably explains Hockey Asia's "misadventure" in Malaysia & to a certain extend in Asia.
Below is the full text of the note:
"Dear Gandhi,
Thank you for your kind words, actually we were surprised to get this attention but we are happy with it. I have read your blogs since we are in Malaysia and although I had many times a different opinion it is good to have a voice in sport that is for sure.
Gives me the chance to say that Hockey Asia had a different approach then being blogger and website developer. Our ideas were to have Live TV and use the income as financer, a banker for hockey projects. News is now our main item at the website of Hockey Asia.
I must correct you for the MHF website, this one is up and running only they never mentioned Hockey Asia as partner and the only time they made some changes was after the first match of Malaysian Juniors.
One of our projects was a good education program and bringing top-coaches to Malaysia to get better results. Ideas are good but we were naïve thinking that this was where Malaysia was waiting for. Coaches, trainers and players know it all so much better than we do. The fact that nothing has happened for the last 35 years is just a minor detail.
Also we were naïve thinking that money from our side would make a difference. MHF gets millions and millions out of Government money so why bother about “foreign” donations. Besides my ideas are totally 180 degrees different from MHF. We strongly believe in hockey clubs with paying members, strong long lasting leagues, and a good grass root program as the way to move forwards in Malaysia and Asia.
A real professional league like PHL in India but for a much more longer period, say sponsored by 10 companies and with a lot of foreign players (Europe), commercially well presented would make a tremendous difference. But once again this isn’t the strategy of MHF. I believe if Holland would made the same strategy decisions with putting the national team first and with only centralized training sessions and without a professional league and no hockey clubs investments they would never be no. 1 in the world for the women section and at top 4 in men section.
I strongly believe, with me, Harendra Singh (India), Jose Brasa (India), Siegfried Aikman (Japan) and Wouter Tazelaar (Pakistan) in an Asian Hockey League where top 6 -8 countries play a national league every 2-3 weeks. This for minimum 5 months. The World Volleyball league started years ago with this set up and it became very successful. From officials of AHF we could hear only laughs about it and remarks as: ‘ridiculous idea’.We feel this as a missing link in Asia and if this doesn’t change anything will.
You’re right about website technologies MHF and AHF is lacking and both wanted to do it their way, we have offered our services and at that time we would done it for free. Things were probably not meant to be that way.I feel that the AHF is really more of a Malaysian promotion than an Asian promotion, it is all about Malaysia. This could be done so much better.
As you probably know I was hockey coach for a very long time (over 20 years) in Holland on a good level and with that expertise I think I can judge what I have seen in Malaysia so far. For me based on many videos of last year Sultan Azlan Shah tournament 2008 and watching this year SAZ 2009 and Asia Cup 2009 the national team didn’t improve at all, in fact I was more impressed by Sarjit Singh as coach. But this is my personal opinion.
Based on what I have seen Malaysia is far away from a professional level as I have experienced in Europe. I offered a top-coach from Holland doing video-analysis during Asia Cup, he would evidently do it for free if MHF would have contacted him but also this idea had no listeners, probably as the national coach would feel attacked.
We don’t blame anyone at MHF but we feel that when you get so much out of the Government pocket things could run much more professional, like Singapore Hockey Association used the event management of ESPN for World Cup Juniors.
Let’s be honest our project failed because of lack of professionalism at MHF. But it is our fault that we didn’t take our own actions instead of relying on the organization in Malaysia.We still have a few options to consider, one is to start hockey club with Dutch model with a hockey academy here in Malaysia, but changes to success is minor, we realize this. The next weeks this must be clear.
Thank you and when we are back in Holland we will think with a lot of positive feelings of our “naïve” business adventure in Malaysia.
Met vriendelijke groeten/Kind Regards"
Jaap Suyk
www.hockey-asia.com
Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
"No listeners in MHF" - one of the reasons for the collapse of the MOU.
Hockey Asia with a blog site:http://hockey-asia.com/ provides an up-todate hockey scenario of Asian hockey. Indeed its presence in the blogosphere helps to fill a vacuum that Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) seems to have completely forgotten or overlooked or they just do not want to undertake to provide such services.
It is strange how the Asians having outsource information technology services all over the world and yet AHF seem to be caught in a time warp that they have omitted to set-up their own site. This too goes with MHF, who has just lately got into the act. Unfortunately, sources indicate the site is still under construction.
This is a very strange phenomenon and it is difficult to comprehend why AHF is extremely slow to join the cyber world. This is where Hockey Asia must be commended as their Dutch husband and wife team had the courage to invest into Asian hockey. Mind you in the 6 months they refer to as "adventure", Hockey Asia has made great strides. I am one of those who visit their site regularly.
Indeed I was fascinated plus supportive that they entered into a MOU with MHF. I thought with the Dutch connection, greater technology awareness would creep into MHF and a paradigm shift in the thinking process among its officials would materialise. To do that the MHF officials must listen and participate. Sometimes this is where we fail exspecially when we do not have the expertise.
In fact I am not surprised, as this aspect of not listening is the hallmark of MHF. Therefore Hockey Asia terminating the MOU ( refer to http://www.hockey-asia.com/images/pdf_upload/1mou.pdf) would probably be seen as a normal event in MHF. This is why they are filled with enough issues that is "weighing down" MHF and ultimately affecting the performance of the various national teams.
It is a pity that Hockey Asia could not achieve what they set out to do. I hope they would strive and make sure that there are other parties with who they can get into joint venture, so as there is this symbiotic process that Asian hockey can benefit from.
My best wishes to the Dutch couple and thank you for continuing to provide information on Asian hockey.
It is strange how the Asians having outsource information technology services all over the world and yet AHF seem to be caught in a time warp that they have omitted to set-up their own site. This too goes with MHF, who has just lately got into the act. Unfortunately, sources indicate the site is still under construction.
This is a very strange phenomenon and it is difficult to comprehend why AHF is extremely slow to join the cyber world. This is where Hockey Asia must be commended as their Dutch husband and wife team had the courage to invest into Asian hockey. Mind you in the 6 months they refer to as "adventure", Hockey Asia has made great strides. I am one of those who visit their site regularly.
Indeed I was fascinated plus supportive that they entered into a MOU with MHF. I thought with the Dutch connection, greater technology awareness would creep into MHF and a paradigm shift in the thinking process among its officials would materialise. To do that the MHF officials must listen and participate. Sometimes this is where we fail exspecially when we do not have the expertise.
In fact I am not surprised, as this aspect of not listening is the hallmark of MHF. Therefore Hockey Asia terminating the MOU ( refer to http://www.hockey-asia.com/images/pdf_upload/1mou.pdf) would probably be seen as a normal event in MHF. This is why they are filled with enough issues that is "weighing down" MHF and ultimately affecting the performance of the various national teams.
It is a pity that Hockey Asia could not achieve what they set out to do. I hope they would strive and make sure that there are other parties with who they can get into joint venture, so as there is this symbiotic process that Asian hockey can benefit from.
My best wishes to the Dutch couple and thank you for continuing to provide information on Asian hockey.
Planning documents in Malaysian sports becomes the nuclei for collection of dust, as Sports Administrators conveniently forget to implement it.
Tony Mariadass, a known name in the sports journalistic fraternity and in his blog:http://level-field.blogspot.com/ On Wednesday 1st July, Tony had an article titled "On the shelf or shelved."
Tony, without mincing words, precisely highlighted the "dust collection syndrome" that takes place in Malaysian sports following a study, tour report, or post mortem, or other in-depth analysis to move forward. Sometimes all this is combined with seminars or workshops, where people get caught with "verbal diarrhoea" and thereafter are so tired that they get into "hibernation".
Matters are forgotten until another crisis hits the roof and everyone starts the whole process again i.e a Study. The process repeats itself with seminars or workshops, then the "hibernation" which permits the "dust collection syndrome" to materialise. All these takes place while awaiting yet again for another crisis.
In all of these, the key element is that the same Sports Administrators are involved. They have not seen it once but "umpteen" times and what surprises me is that they are prepared to tolerate it. To be fair, initially there would be loud cries and high degrees of concern. However, with the passage of time the "hibernation" process steps in and the "coldness" freezes the thinking process.
Therefore it is not surprising to see year in and year out the same Sports Administrators. There is no doubts that they have volunteered their services and the positions they hold are not their "bread and butter". Therefore one should not expect too much.
If that argument holds, then Malaysian sports will not see "daylight". I have always maintained that people who are elected to position, wanted the post and , as such, they have a duty of care to undertake their responsibility properly. They have been bestowed trust and that is fundamental in providing the leadership for the betterment of the sports. When they sit on the Chair and make statements just to appease the public, then they are seeking personal glamour rather than getting the job done. Holding positions also means making decisions that may be unpopular but good for the sports. This is where the Malaysian Sports Administrators are so skillful in sweeping things under the carpet, thereby permitting the problems to silently persist and organically grow bigger, hoping that, with time, either the problem would be forgotten or the officials would have left their positions.
I believe Tony has pinpointed an area where Malaysian sports has totally failed to undertake its role. We are paying the prise as declining standards have set in , namely in football, hockey, athletics, cricket and many other sports. I would list Tony's article as compulsory reading for those who care for Malaysian sports.
Thank you Tony Mariadass.
Tony, without mincing words, precisely highlighted the "dust collection syndrome" that takes place in Malaysian sports following a study, tour report, or post mortem, or other in-depth analysis to move forward. Sometimes all this is combined with seminars or workshops, where people get caught with "verbal diarrhoea" and thereafter are so tired that they get into "hibernation".
Matters are forgotten until another crisis hits the roof and everyone starts the whole process again i.e a Study. The process repeats itself with seminars or workshops, then the "hibernation" which permits the "dust collection syndrome" to materialise. All these takes place while awaiting yet again for another crisis.
In all of these, the key element is that the same Sports Administrators are involved. They have not seen it once but "umpteen" times and what surprises me is that they are prepared to tolerate it. To be fair, initially there would be loud cries and high degrees of concern. However, with the passage of time the "hibernation" process steps in and the "coldness" freezes the thinking process.
Therefore it is not surprising to see year in and year out the same Sports Administrators. There is no doubts that they have volunteered their services and the positions they hold are not their "bread and butter". Therefore one should not expect too much.
If that argument holds, then Malaysian sports will not see "daylight". I have always maintained that people who are elected to position, wanted the post and , as such, they have a duty of care to undertake their responsibility properly. They have been bestowed trust and that is fundamental in providing the leadership for the betterment of the sports. When they sit on the Chair and make statements just to appease the public, then they are seeking personal glamour rather than getting the job done. Holding positions also means making decisions that may be unpopular but good for the sports. This is where the Malaysian Sports Administrators are so skillful in sweeping things under the carpet, thereby permitting the problems to silently persist and organically grow bigger, hoping that, with time, either the problem would be forgotten or the officials would have left their positions.
I believe Tony has pinpointed an area where Malaysian sports has totally failed to undertake its role. We are paying the prise as declining standards have set in , namely in football, hockey, athletics, cricket and many other sports. I would list Tony's article as compulsory reading for those who care for Malaysian sports.
Thank you Tony Mariadass.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Malaysian hockey and the National Team Manager put on the dock - re: Malay Mail.
Today's Malay Mail has an interesting hockey article titled "By George" on the link: www.mmail.com.my/category/channel/sports/hockey. This is another "master piece" of Johnson Fernandez, who has bluntly put across the pathetic situation in MHF particularly in dealing with "ill disciplined" players.
The National Team Manager is taken to task as his club players donning the national colours are the main actors in this "ill discipline" drama. These players are playing for one of the top 4 accounting firms in the world and the article puts into perspective the image such players would bear on the club.
It questions the wisdom of selecting such players for the Dublin tournament. Indeed it refers to MHF as "toothless" and I believe he is right. Johnson in a nutshell put the onus on MHF and the National Team Manager on the discipline issues and he cannot be wrong.
Folks, please read this article and judge for yourself the issues.
The National Team Manager is taken to task as his club players donning the national colours are the main actors in this "ill discipline" drama. These players are playing for one of the top 4 accounting firms in the world and the article puts into perspective the image such players would bear on the club.
It questions the wisdom of selecting such players for the Dublin tournament. Indeed it refers to MHF as "toothless" and I believe he is right. Johnson in a nutshell put the onus on MHF and the National Team Manager on the discipline issues and he cannot be wrong.
Folks, please read this article and judge for yourself the issues.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Malaysia's disappointmenmt at Junior World Cup - "To rebound with State league for Under 18. Is this the excuse not to have a post mortem?"
Unlucky in the preliminary round and miserable thereafter was the conclusion of the MHF Management Committee at their last week's meeting, when they discussed the National Juniors performance at the Junior World Cup (JWC). They could have got to the last eight but a draw with Spain meant they lost out on goal difference.
Therefore it was all about luck not about the Juniors playing accordingly where it matters. Unlucky to lose to Korea because of goalkeeper's mistake and so on as the excuses were being made. All is good if MHF want to console themselves but the reality is, there has to be a post mortem as to why the team was unlucky. At least in the language of MHF.
This is where MHF does not have the "guts" to do it. They are frighten of an "autopsy" on the performance of the team, as they may not be able to accept any unusual findings. So the best thing is to sweep the whole issue of the Juniors performance at JWC under the carpet.
Sweeping under the carpet has become the "specialised skill" of MHF. They have choreographed the art of sweeping so as issues such as allegations on match fixing, the players appearing for training smelling with alcohol, players who were caught "red handed" on excessive drinking of alcohol and returning wee hours of the morning, may become acceptable norms. These with time may be added on as the new standards so as it can become the qualities of the future Malaysian hockey player. As I have stated it before: "A stitch in time saves nine." Something MHF seem not to subscribe to, for they may not be worried of the future. At least their decisions may seem to reflect it.
Fearful to make decisive and unpopular decisions, MHF continue to plod along and hope time will make people forget the issue or allow other new issues to bury the old issues. By then it would become a complex web of issues that people would be just too tired to pull out issue by issue. Therefore they all get swept away ultimately. So why make a fuss on the first place. "Machiavellian" of the highest order.
In order to let people forget the past issues ie the performance of the Juniors and the need for post mortem, MHF may have developed this new idea of State Under 18 league. Preoccupied with this, people would forget the 4 years of resources put into preparing the Juniors for a home organised JWC. This 4 years have cost the NSC coffers a minimum of around RM 4.4 million. Now it would seem there is no need to account for the cost especially when the targets have not been achieved. Maybe this is the "new order" of the day for "Malaysia Boleh" in MHF.
Therefore it was all about luck not about the Juniors playing accordingly where it matters. Unlucky to lose to Korea because of goalkeeper's mistake and so on as the excuses were being made. All is good if MHF want to console themselves but the reality is, there has to be a post mortem as to why the team was unlucky. At least in the language of MHF.
This is where MHF does not have the "guts" to do it. They are frighten of an "autopsy" on the performance of the team, as they may not be able to accept any unusual findings. So the best thing is to sweep the whole issue of the Juniors performance at JWC under the carpet.
Sweeping under the carpet has become the "specialised skill" of MHF. They have choreographed the art of sweeping so as issues such as allegations on match fixing, the players appearing for training smelling with alcohol, players who were caught "red handed" on excessive drinking of alcohol and returning wee hours of the morning, may become acceptable norms. These with time may be added on as the new standards so as it can become the qualities of the future Malaysian hockey player. As I have stated it before: "A stitch in time saves nine." Something MHF seem not to subscribe to, for they may not be worried of the future. At least their decisions may seem to reflect it.
Fearful to make decisive and unpopular decisions, MHF continue to plod along and hope time will make people forget the issue or allow other new issues to bury the old issues. By then it would become a complex web of issues that people would be just too tired to pull out issue by issue. Therefore they all get swept away ultimately. So why make a fuss on the first place. "Machiavellian" of the highest order.
In order to let people forget the past issues ie the performance of the Juniors and the need for post mortem, MHF may have developed this new idea of State Under 18 league. Preoccupied with this, people would forget the 4 years of resources put into preparing the Juniors for a home organised JWC. This 4 years have cost the NSC coffers a minimum of around RM 4.4 million. Now it would seem there is no need to account for the cost especially when the targets have not been achieved. Maybe this is the "new order" of the day for "Malaysia Boleh" in MHF.
Friday, June 26, 2009
MALAYSIAN HOKI BOLEH! Forgiven for excessive alcohol consumption.
"MALAYSIA BOLEH" - a sports battle cry, created by Milo as a marketing slogan caught on with Malaysians like a wild fire. It transcended sports and went into every facet of Malaysian way of life. It is the national inspirational slogan providing that extra adrenaline for the push to succeed.
For years "Malaysia Boleh" was inspirational and was always related to the better aspects of life. As it became common even the negative aspects were associated to the slogan from an achievable aspects. Slowly "Malaysia Boleh"
represented "the good, the bad and the ugly". The other term that was developed was "Bolehland", referring to a place where anything is possible. Usually the term is used in an insulting manner.
Last night as I watched the TV, an aspect of hockey caught my eyes and ears. It was the broadcast of the 3 players caught for excessive alcohol consumption and returning wee hours of the morning being given a warning. Apparently this was the decision of MHF and how forgiving they have become. They are young lads and why punish them and spoil their career in hockey. They have made a mistake and the warning shall act as deterrent to ensure it does not happen again in the future. Furthermore they are much needed for the FIH tournament in Dublin in early July and any severe action may have an impact on the team.
All perfectly valid reasons for the weak and lame sports administrators. The future is not on their minds and their concern is only "present time". Probably the future will take care of itself and is someone else problem. The "present time" is the present committees worry and they should not "shot their own feet" to progress. This in a nutshell provides the sad state of affairs of Malaysian hockey because no one in MHF is worried of the future. Today's problem is only going to be a bigger problem tomorrow. Why worry about?
Somehow the equations do not seem to have been fully resolved. MHF have forgiven the players. What about NSC, as this incident took place at their accommodation, in breach of their rules. Then you have the national manager, who has all the players involved in excessive drinking coming from his club where he is also manager. The players earn their other salary from the club. How is the team manager handling this issue..
These are the conflicts that prevail for both NSC and the team manager. NSC sits in MHF Management meeting, in Team Management Committee and pays the players. NSC wants results and any severe action may have consequences to the results. On the other side the team manager pays the club players and most of them turn out for the national team. Any punishment there has an implication on his club.
So it is "Malaysia Boleh" and MHF has become "Bolehland" for anything to everything.
For years "Malaysia Boleh" was inspirational and was always related to the better aspects of life. As it became common even the negative aspects were associated to the slogan from an achievable aspects. Slowly "Malaysia Boleh"
represented "the good, the bad and the ugly". The other term that was developed was "Bolehland", referring to a place where anything is possible. Usually the term is used in an insulting manner.
Last night as I watched the TV, an aspect of hockey caught my eyes and ears. It was the broadcast of the 3 players caught for excessive alcohol consumption and returning wee hours of the morning being given a warning. Apparently this was the decision of MHF and how forgiving they have become. They are young lads and why punish them and spoil their career in hockey. They have made a mistake and the warning shall act as deterrent to ensure it does not happen again in the future. Furthermore they are much needed for the FIH tournament in Dublin in early July and any severe action may have an impact on the team.
All perfectly valid reasons for the weak and lame sports administrators. The future is not on their minds and their concern is only "present time". Probably the future will take care of itself and is someone else problem. The "present time" is the present committees worry and they should not "shot their own feet" to progress. This in a nutshell provides the sad state of affairs of Malaysian hockey because no one in MHF is worried of the future. Today's problem is only going to be a bigger problem tomorrow. Why worry about?
Somehow the equations do not seem to have been fully resolved. MHF have forgiven the players. What about NSC, as this incident took place at their accommodation, in breach of their rules. Then you have the national manager, who has all the players involved in excessive drinking coming from his club where he is also manager. The players earn their other salary from the club. How is the team manager handling this issue..
These are the conflicts that prevail for both NSC and the team manager. NSC sits in MHF Management meeting, in Team Management Committee and pays the players. NSC wants results and any severe action may have consequences to the results. On the other side the team manager pays the club players and most of them turn out for the national team. Any punishment there has an implication on his club.
So it is "Malaysia Boleh" and MHF has become "Bolehland" for anything to everything.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
FOUND ! Arul Selvaraj - Hockey coach & former international
S S Dhaliwal in his blog ssdhaliwal.blogspot.com on 25th June had an article titled "Malaysian Hockey Forgotten Coach." It is a detail report on Arul Selvaraj, a former Malaysian hockey international who became a coach.
Arul as he is known had a stint as an Assistant Coach with the Malaysian team under the German hockey coach Paul Lissek. He went on in the same position to South Africa with their national team and now he is in Ireland, also as Assistant to the Irish national team.
Not only he had and is having experience with 3 different countries national teams but simultaneously has carved a career in 3 continents i.e Asia, Africa and Europe. Obviously in Malaysian context all these must be a rare achievement.
We must congratulate Arul and wish him the very best in his endeavours. We must also thank S S Dhaliwal for the story.
Arul as he is known had a stint as an Assistant Coach with the Malaysian team under the German hockey coach Paul Lissek. He went on in the same position to South Africa with their national team and now he is in Ireland, also as Assistant to the Irish national team.
Not only he had and is having experience with 3 different countries national teams but simultaneously has carved a career in 3 continents i.e Asia, Africa and Europe. Obviously in Malaysian context all these must be a rare achievement.
We must congratulate Arul and wish him the very best in his endeavours. We must also thank S S Dhaliwal for the story.
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