Monday, October 6, 2008

Well Done! Runners-up at Hamburg. Should we be proud of Malaysian hockey?

There is no doubt that the National Coach was very determined that his team performs well at the Hamburg 4 Nation Tournament. Malaysian hockey needed it, and more so the National Coach, the Chairman of Coaching Committee and the Deputy President. They have been going through a torturous time since Malaysia's failure to qualify for World Cup, Beijing Olympics and a series of other poor performance including Sultan Azlan Shah Trophy. Poor performances on the field, allegations of match fixing and money lending, plus the fiasco related to the bidding for Junior Hockey World Cup have all created a bad image for MHF.

Coming in as runners-up at Hamburg must have been a great relief for these personalities. Mind you, a draw with Olympic Champions Germany and another draw with Asian giants Pakistan must also be a great confidence boost for the players. To top it off, they thrashed Belgium 6-2, an Olympic qualifier. What an achievement!

Seriously, with such results we must be proud of our boys, coaches and administrators. All the cries of dismal performance of the Malaysian team seems to be just an exercise of people venting their frustration.

But: All this excitement came to an abrupt end when I was duly informed that the other teams were using Juniors and uncapped players. I knew that the other teams were on a rebuilding strategy, mixing their older players with the inexperienced younger players. The extent of this is what that disappointed me in being runners-up. Germany were literally on a 50:50 ratio of experienced players to Juniors.Indeed. in most of their games they had utilised a higher proportion of Juniors. Pakistan had 5 uncapped players combined with a far greater percentage of Juniors. Insofar as Belgium, it seemed to be a Junior team.

So were we doing an"apple to apple" comparison? In effect we cannot overpraise our boys, coaches or administrators. A full national side with fair number of experienced players were taking on teams that were rebuilding with majority Junior and inexperienced players. How can we take pride of the 2 draws and the massive win?

This is where the coach and the administrators should have carefully thought and planned what sort of team to sent to Hamburg. If they had sufficient "grey matter", they should have blended the team with Seniors and Juniors as a basis of exposure. This would have helped the Juniors and at the same time started a rebuilding exercise to replace our older players. MHF thoroughly and evidently lacks the foresight; but equally shocking is how NSC also commits the full expenditure without questioning the overall strategy and purpose of the tournament.

It seems when MHF makes any request, NSC just readily "rubber stamps" it. Perhaps NSC is just prepared to spent the monies without understanding what is going on. Indeed it would be worthwhile to see what MHF had put in their paper to NSC to justify the trip for the Hamburg tournament. It would be even more interesting to determine if NSC entered into a dialogue or discussion with MHF to ensure the trip is justifiable. I honestly would be surprised if NSC did that!

Therefore being runners-up at Hamburg is a "hollow" victory. In years to come people would not realise that the other teams were with rebuilding squads. So the statistics would look good until we get involved in tournaments that make a difference i.e qualifiers for World Cup or Olympics. We will then wonder why we did well in tournaments like Hamburg and yet fared badly on the ones that matter. When that situation rolls around, we would only end up regretting the shortsighted planning.

Seriously, insofar as the current people who manage MHF are concerned, please do not expect anything from them. Can things truly stoop any lower than to be given glowing reports on performance in tournaments that are used for "rebuilding"purpose by world class teams. Is the MHF trying to say that Malaysia not worthy enough to to compete on a level basis?

Further, I do hope that there is a better sense of judgment and purpose in NSC before they approve expenditures on MHF's request. NSC has to re look and reorganise their thinking if they really want to lift Malaysian hockey to world standards.

Sad as it is: We may have 'done well' in the tournament, but we paid for the victory with our national pride.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fellow Malaysians,

I went into the tournament website and clearly it was a friendly competition with carnival atmosphere as the day's program consist of women's and veteran's matches. Malaysia is the only team represented by its full national side as the national coach is desperate as he knows the noose tightening around his neck! Had the cheek to brag that we should have banged this team and that team, full of his usual s@@@. While other teams are planning and looking ahead, we, the tax payers are catering and dancing to this clown's tune, thanks to the ever dependable NSC!
Good luck to Malaysian hockey if these people are not thrown out immediately!!!

Anonymous said...

Mate,

Why don't you coach the national team?

Win also you people critic, lose also you people give hell......

What should the team do then..... win or lose???

Whatever said and done win is a win….

Anonymous said...

Fellow NST reporter

It's unfair to bang the national hockey team for its success in Hamburg.
You must take note that the national coach is also preparing his charges for the future.
The Hambung outing will help his players gain confidence for future competitions.
Since you are a self-claimed hockey 'Guru', why not u recommend the tournaments they should compete in....

Note: The coach has pledged to take the team to the 2010 World Cup and 2012 London Olympics.

Lets see whether he can do it.

Anonymous said...

Gandhi,

When it matters most Malaysia hockey team wont deliver.

Why ?

Take a look at Germany,after winning the Olympics Gold medal they started team building with young players,new strategies,scientific researce,diet,psycology...etc.

Germany and many hockey countries
are evolving.

MHF are trying to blind malaysians that we are moving the right way to get back to World Cup and Olympics.

A masterplan to succeed for the hockey team must be there for NSC to check the progress.

NSC must not assume we Malaysians
are not aware of whats happening. (Today is IT world)

Please NSC dont take we Malaysian for a ghost ride.

Terimakasih.

Anonymous said...

Gandhi,

Malaysia hockey team is playing the same old song again and again.

Look at Gremany,Australia and Holland.

What they do in invitional tournaments?

They expose their youth and try out new methodology.

What do we do?Other way round.

Thats why we are always behind.

Anonymous said...

Dear "mate",

I guess you must be part of the group or you just came out from hibernation. Malaysian hockey is the talk of the town...(for the bad and ugly things).

Understand the issues with an open heart. It is not the win or lost in Hamburg Masters bro... the objective of going and the planning for the future. One blogger rightfully commented, "Fail to plan is as good as planning to fail.

And just to tickle you further bro mate" winning is about planning one step ahead".

What have we achieved in the second placing..playing and winning against second rated players to plan for the future!

What about the Juniors playing in the Jr World Cup next? Can a few of them be included... like what Pakistan, belgium, germany is doing for this tournament?

This is not the first time MHF S****-up. SEA games also the same thing. What is they their stand... drop the old players (claims of rebuilding a new team) and call back 2 brothers to represent malaysia even after the final team was finalised for the SEA games mickey mouse tournament. Jersey already given out and collected back on the eve before leaving after the head coach "had promised" to include the "dropped player" earlier. Did the team doctor "repported" the dropped player as injured for that to happen? Side effect from the "blind and low IQ" running the association.

Hope you have a better picture or you can't accept the facts!

Cheers bro.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 5.35pm

Let me guess....you must either be a borrower or an investor in the head coach's 10/2 business or.... member of head injured society who lives in your own world of make believe. Wake up & smell the s??? that's been going around, mate...

Anonymous said...

Bro,

Ref: Anonymous 5.35pm

The author must be one of the following,so to make this your Blog more interesting i have decided to play a little trivia with all like-minded hockey people whom are concerned with our Malaysian's Hockey.

Unlike the author of the posting who is having blind loyalty with no concern as to who is the that caused the downfall of OUR hockey.

So, everyone put on your thinking caps and solved the mystery as to whom these qualities below fit into the item's contributor.

1) An investor in his money biz

2) Borrower who is beholden to him

3) Coaxed to go against his intelligence with the promised of a trip

4) a member of the head injured society

We hope that you all supporters, will keep on supporting the present hieracy and not thinking of jumping ship.

Good luck in your deliberations.