Monday, April 6, 2009

Sultan Azlan Shah Trophy: Well done Beng Hai & his boys.

This morning, the dailies seem to be full of accolades for Malaysia's victory over Pakistan at the Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament. A 3-2 win in favour of Malaysia would definitely give a good booster to the players and the team management. Malaysian hockey needs good news and obviously this victory helps the situation a lot.

It also helps the coaches as they are literally on "trial", to determine whether they remain just in "interim" status or become a permanent feature. Kudos to Beng Hai and Saiful for getting the best out of their boys. Everyone would be watching to see whether the team can sustain their good start.Consistency in performance is the key to success. Lets not be "jaguh kampong" one day, then go on to perform badly where it matters.

Some may argue and would want to throw cold water to Malaysia's victory. Their argument is that teams coming for the tournament barring Egypt, are not full strength and are having a young team or are blending their team.. For them they are working through to see the suitable combination for the tournaments that make a difference like the Asia Cup or the World Cup qualifiers. It is an argument but the same can be said of Malaysia too. Probably Beng Hai is also getting his players to peak for the Asia Cup and this tournament is just a "build up".

Lets enjoy Malaysia's victory and permit the coaches to continue getting the best out of the team. Good luck Malaysia.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gandhi,

Lets look at the teams participating in the current Sultan Azlan Shah Cup,Pakistan,India,Egypt,New Zealand.

Pakistan and India always had a formidable side but lately this two teams standard have been diclining ,that have alarm the FIH.FIH even tried to sent in foreign coaches under their payrole to revive Indian hockey.Indian Hockey Federation decline.That was two years ago.Now India created history by being force to a draw (2-2) by Egypt.For Pakistan their political stability have taken everyone time away from sports.

Egypt have shown some improvement,
in the game they founded.

New Zealand have also shown improvement in their performance and consistency.

For Malaysia a beautiful nation with all the facilities and caring people in sports like the intervention by the group 102 and Sports Ministry have stop the game from declining further.

Consistency in our hockey team main
problem and we must get our players
realised how to repeatly win.

As the saying goes,Winning is a habit and losing is a habit.

The great Greek philospher Aristotle once said "What we repeatly do is not an act but its a habit".

"Practice makes it permaneant."

I beleive Malaysian team will be in the final of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and very good chances of winning the cup for the first time in the history.

Congrats to Beng Hai and Saiful and they must take this tournament as a stepping stone to prepare the team to win the Asia Cup and put Malaysia back into the world Cup.

Looking at the team coaches its not a Sino-Malay relationship the can create a great team its "One Malaysian" concept that will bring success.

Ben Hai and Saiful were best of friends during their playing days and this duo were so close that some foreign teams even thaught they were brothers.

Anywhy they are, they come from the same motherland "Malaysia".

Good Luck to George Khoshy the Malaysia hockey team manager, Beng Hai and Saiful on your quest to put malaysia back into the World Cup.


John Kid Annamalai

Anonymous said...

Just when we are beginning to see light at the end of tunnel (and its not an oncoming train!)for the national seniors, the NST's armchair critic headlined "fear of team peaking too early".
It has become a stigma that there is always something wrong with Malaysian sport. What's wrong with the media people? Want to be the prophet of doom? Bad news is good news?!
Nowadays I buy newspapers to read the sports pages, but with these kind of rubbish, I am beginning to think twice.