Thursday, October 8, 2009

Was the National Hockey Team Manager fair in his actions?

MHF has been embroiled in more than sufficient issues both in and out of the field. Ironically they seem to have significant negative impact and sometimes i wonder whether MHF has permitted it to "grow" to this uncontrollable state. I state this for it was only in September 23rd in my blog under the title of: The "ghost" of Malaysian hockey "match fixing" is still lingering around, i outlined the issues of MHF failing to act. It would seem that i am proven right.


As i mentioned previously, if we allow the problem to brew by sweeping issues under the carpet, it is only a matter of time the foul stench would ooze out to fill the air.. This is what MHF has done, by leaving the allegation of "match fixing" unattended without an in-house investigation. MHF did not do anything sensible to arrest the potential problems that the "match fixing, money lending and gambling" issues when the allegations came to the forefront. Over and over, time and time, we get "new brooms" to sweep the issues under the carpet. They all thought that it was the "cure" without realising it was being postponed to let the issues become even bigger.


The failure to act by MHF in the past has given the "hard core habitual" parties the licence to continue their undesirable activities, while the newcomers to the scene just followed suit. Therefore the incident on Monday 6th October where a national player misled his coaches by missing training purportedly to repair his car when in fact he was at a cybercafe apparently indulging in online gambling, when he was caught "red handed" by MHF officials, is the testimony of the prevailing sad state of affairs with the national team . The story goes that the player was asked to apologise ( it is unclear to whom ), which the player refused and he went to see the National Team Manager, who is also his Club Manager. The Team Manager felt that he has broken a promise which he had previously made to him ( detail of the promise is not known ) that he requested the player to resign from the national team. Thereupon the Team Manager has left the fate of the player to the coaches and the MHF Management Committee.

Unfortunately this incident became a scoop story for the media and rightfully so. After all it is the duty of the media to report and publicise such matters particularly if someone is prepared to confirm or stand by the story. This the National Team Manager was a willing participant and the incident became a sort of "breaking news" i e a headline on the back page of one of the main newspaper.

It is obvious that the media had "smelled a rat" and in their usual style as responsible media they needed collaboration to ensure that they were right, There is no doubt that the media undertook their task properly but the question is whether the Team Manager did the same.

I pose this question because the actions taken by the Team Manager seem unilateral in nature and peculiarly seem to have passed the ultimate decision to the coaches and MHF Management Committee. All this is being done after the Team Manager had extracted a resignation letter from the player because the player had broken an earlier promise. In fact the Team Manager had already made the decision i e for the player to quit the national team, so why then does he need the coaches or the MHF Management Team to consider the matter. Again was the promise something of a personal nature or something that is known to everyone? It would seem the whole issue is "clouded" by too much of conflicting interests that the Team Manager should have opted not to deal with the incident and passed it on the proper MHF officials.

Indeed if any the Team Manager had made the issue far bigger by confirming the name of the player and the incident. He should have taken a responsible position stating an incident was reported and that MHF would be investigating before the details are made known. In fact the Team Manager may not have realised that in the spur of his indiscretion he has put MHF, the player plus his family, the national team and Malaysian hockey into a disrepute position. There is no doubt that on the first place the player had done so. So why give it a "double wacko".

This therefore begs the question whether the Team Manager had acted fairly? In coming to a decision the case must be seen from each parties point of view without having to compromise on the truth. Maybe the Team Manager may have been pretty upset that his emotions may have overtook all other sense of rationale thoughts at that moment. The Team Manager is a human being and when someone provides misleading information, while his actions contravenes an earlier promise plus the player comes from his own club, it must have created the "topsy turfy" scenario. This in fact has placed Malaysian hockey in a dilemma and the issue of untangling the problem becomes even more difficult. It seem that people are working in an uncoordinated fashion thereby giving an impression that there are a number of cliques at work within the national team, each having their own agenda. Some how this seem to be affecting the team's performance. So how can Malaysia perform? It is already a tough job for the coaches, why make it even tougher.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Gandhi,

The team manager through his charitable ways over the years has spoilt our hockey players. They earn easy money without having to sweat for it and in more ways than one have lost the mental fortitude and the will to fight. They are weak mentally and give up when push against the wall. They always seek easy way out. Why, because they know their 'godfather' aka 'father Christmas' will be there to bail them out. From my observation, this is the reason why his club team struggle to win the Final every year until last year that is despite having almost the entire national players. National players from his 'charity' earn very well now plus the fact that most of them play hockey fulltime and nothing else, they have become 'brain dead'. With too much money and time on their hands, they are always looking for thrill and fun thus we have all the ills plaguing the team now. Make no mistake about it, the former national coach started all these in a big scale and believe me, he still has influence on the players esp. those from the Rotterdam squad. The current coaching set up is doing a good job trying to eradicate these menaces but without the full support from the team management & MHF, they will always be fighting a losing battle. For a national player earning big bucks to train fulltime, there is no excuse for him to be skipping training and be found having his thrill at a gaming center. Something is very wrong and MHF must be bold to take corrective measures before it is too late.

Anonymous said...

What ever you say I like the way one of the leading English Newspaper reporter commented on this, "Boys are boys" let them grow up. It's a shame that this type of reporters are still writing.Just for his information after 21 they are not boys. They are considered adults because now if they rape anybody, he could be possible sentenced to lifeimprisonment. In sports there are 3 types of age - Anatomical,biological and Atheletical. If a youngster fits into a Senior national team than he is considered Atheletical because he can perform like the adults because of his maturity.Any way I don't want to talk much on this but I consider that the Manager has done something good. We have to stop all this bad habits which was encouraged by the former national coach( loan shark)

Well done Beng Hai , Saiful and the most loving Manager Mr. George Koshy.

Hockey fan

Anonymous said...

It is ironical that the pressmen who had the scoop and broke the story is now asking MHF not to be too harsh on the boys. What hypocrisy - part of the conspiracy to undermine the coaches and their stand not to compromise on discipline and to right the wrongs that has been going on in MHF over the last few years.

As for the Manager playing the good guy saying he wont stand for indiscipline but in the same breath "to leave in up to the Coaches and MHF Mgmt to decide the fate of the players'. Wonderful leadership by example on how to pass the buck and stay clean and clear of any controversy and repercussions from the fallout with the players.

MHF must make a stand and not be wishy washy and play politics. The future direction of Malaysian Hockey is at hand and please dont make compromises and popular decision. Do the right thing and all else will fall into place otherwise the cancer will spread and it will be too late if it isnt already.

Anonymous said...

In 1992 there was such a coach who wouldn't hesitate to sack a player for any indicipline.But being bodohland politics this coach was removed so that a certain sarjit could dictate terms to mhf.oops and the coach was by n by the only hockey player that was a national national sportsman M.Mahendran.If only action would have been taken then we would not be in the shit house that we are in today.

Anonymous said...

My Dear friends, why blame the manager for giving salaries to the players...I think he did right by bringing the status of players by giving higher perks. How many clubs are doing it? Hockey is dying these days in Malaysia. Just see how many players are playing hockey? Just take Raza cup... there was no representation from east island. Many states pulled out of tournament. Negeri sembilan came with whose legs are almost in the grave... You see any national tournaments or school tournaments, the same age group of players play. Just count on fingers the number of players. Some states like Penang and JB depends only on players from BJSS and BPSS. Two races of players have stopped playing hockey. The press people do not highlighten team victories and sports activities but are keen on writing what players shit and urine. If the manager has paid them good perks, it is a kind of motivation for other players to come up. The players have unfortunately squandered the money. Ther should have been some scheme like money being put in a fixed account for certain number of years with them receiving only the annual interest for the time being... later they could receive the whole of money with a contract period being terminated or fixed deposit gets matured after a period of 5 years or so. I request the press people write more about nations sports activities in their dailies rather than being paid by their employers to fill in their blogs in which they write all kind of shit.

Anonymous said...

Yes at one time M.Mahendran did a good job but it was only on the 10/2( loan shark and the former malaysian coach) at that time a player. Newspaper wrote bad about mahendran and he was sacked.But still 10/2 after selling the Country with match fixing and doing side bussinness still wants to make a comeback to the National set up and also now we are hearing that he wants to be the EY coach.

Ardent fan of 10/2

Anonymous said...

10.41 am ,we all know that you are the supporter of the 10/2 gang but anyway at least the manager his doing a good job . Sure he will go to heaven not like you all to hell.
Dear Gandhi( hope you don't delete),
What they are doing to the players , they should do on the officials also. One great coach got free out from all this mess after selling the country. ( match fixing and doing 10/2 bussinness with the players). Now another case where by after te SEA cup we hear news that our junior coach whom then was coaching the Thailand team was womanising, drinking and borrowed money and ran away. We cannot accuse a person simply but MHF and AHF has to investigate and come up to a good verdict before the entire nations pride and dignity goes off in the sports world.If in that case KLHA as already appointed him for state coaching. Please KLHA make some reasonable decisions.
After 10/2 and now the "Thigh (Thai) Specialist". The local Great English newspaper reporters will not carru out this news because you all know!
Pothavadai

Anonymous said...

Please take note KLHA.
Seemed like the Pres and Hon Sec have not learnt their lesson from the Razak Cup. They appointed a moron from Holland to coach the team and finished 3rd ever in history!. Speak to the KL players and they will tell you stories of this bogus coach who claimed to have coached big Dutch clubs but can't conduct video sessions and assess players' capabilities. FYI, he runs a website and condemns Malaysian hockey on a daily basis because he is still sore that MHF terminated his MOU months ago. He writes a lot of negative stuff out of frustration and without really checking his facts and failed to realise it will not help his desperate situation in this country. KLHA Hon Sec must realise that not all that originate from the west are good and there are lots of bogus out there in every trade. Time to send him back to milk his cows.
I am actively coaching at club level in KL and hope that KLHA will give coaches like me more opportunities instead of other bogus and disgraced coaches like the former junior coach. There are many stories circulating in the hockey circle about his exploits in Thailand that it makes me cringe with embarassment. If AHF indeed is responsible for his appointment in Thailand, it must make amend and take corrective measures to repair the damage done to the credibility of other Malaysian coaches like me who aspire to coach in other countries someday. KLHA & MHF must never ever appoint these disgraceful characters to coach their teams again.

Hopeful Coach with Integrity

Anonymous said...

10.41.
Mengapa salahkan En. Koshy. Seorang insan yang baik.Dia tidak mengira bangsa atau ugama dan sanggup menolong pemain-pemain seperti saya yang sederhana dalam hidup untuk masih bermaian. Kami bukan seperti pemain bolasepak. 10.41 kami tidak tahu darjat atau status kamu tetapi dari penulisan kamu disedari kamu adalah manusia yang mementingkan diri sendiri dan hanya akan simpan duit untuk menolong golongan kamu sahaja. Selain , En. Koshy adalah seorang insan yang hanya berminat untuk meningkatkan mutu permainan hoki di negara ini dan sebab itu Tuanku Presiden telah memilih beliau.
10.41, menagapa kamu tidak bangkitkan seorang jurulatih Malaysia yang telah memusnahkan permainan hoki dinegara ini dengan menjual permainan.Hanya 4 pemain daripada 24 pemain yang telah terlibat dan sebab ini jangan anggap semua yang terlibat . Bagi kami kalau seorang pemain terlibat dalam menjual permainan adalah seperti dia sanggup membunuh ibu dia untuk mendapat wang. Tetapi kalau seorang jurulatih terlibat maka dia dianggap sebagai seorang manusia yang sanggup menuduh isteri bercurang dengan orang lain agar dia dapat kahwin perempuan yang lain. Kalau 10.41 adalah kawan baik Jurulatih bagi ini maka kamu dianggap sebagai golongan yang akan terhina sampai masuk keneraka.
En. Koshy teruskan perjuangan dan meningkatkan lah mutu permainan hoki Negara.

Pemain

Anonymous said...

Dear Pemain 8:22

First of all, thank you for being frank and forthright in your comments. From my poor grasp of BM,I can only gather that you have miscontrued my comments totally. I know your manager is a good man and he helps everyone regardless of race & religion. I criticise his ways, I didn't critise him as a person and that is a big difference between the two. His ways of remunerating you all have made all of you 'softies', without fire in your bellies and this 'disease' has been transmitted to the national team. Otherwise how do you explain your teammate who is being paid to train as a national player for an important tournament , prefer to have his thrill rather than train, unheard of in the past national teams which used to get 'peanuts' as training allowance. FYI, I have nothing to do with your former coach as I consider him a scum of the earth but you had done great disservice to your nation when you withheld critical information from the team management & MHF about the 4 players that sold matches, sold the country and their families. Shame on you! You are just as guilty as them, don't ever think otherwise even for a minute. However, you can still redeem yourself. Reveal these culprits with evidences and make sure these selfish morons do not pull on the yellow shirt ever again. Then, Malaysian hockey will have some hope. The ball is on your court now, do the right thing!

Anonymous said...

haha...dun get scam! probably somebody acting like a somebody here..beware and think properly after read any..

Hey bro pemain..Its Monday 8.22am la..why dun u go to training?? M.C??

Anonymous said...

8.22 sekarang kame salahkan siapa? Kalau kamu adalah insan yang baik kamu akan salahakan orang yang memabawa malapetaka kepada sukan hoki negara ini ia itu bekas jurulatih kebangsaan yang sanggup menjual nama negara. Buat satu penderian yang teguh jangan menjadi manusia yang tidak mempunyai penderian. Salam 8.22.

Gandhi, said...

The comment below has been edited.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Was the National Hockey Team Manager fair in his a...":


bewbaBro,
Refer posting 06.04
It was with great interest that i read about KLHA giving to much prominence to the (deleted) coach from Holland.

KLHA thought that if one is a Dutch then he is a doyen for Hockey. Why don't we for once stand up and be Malaysian and give this (deleted) dutch coach a write-off. How did he end up being the coach of KL and with all the best players available to him and he screwed up and bring KL to its knees is something that is very hard to reconcile. Either he is stupid or else he is never in hockey. The west are very good with impressive jargons and jaunts. But the reponsibility lies on the KLHA Sec to be so impressed by him that he arbitarily appoint him. The Sec is holding the trigger to long and it shows blatantly that we coloured is overly kowtowing to the clear coloured. They are bullshits.

The Dutchman is a (deleted) as he is unknown in the Holland Hockey Federation.We come to know that because he have applied for a coaching position in a neigbouring country, and when they did a referral, the HHF was taken aback by this (deleted) and luckily they did not fall for his ruse but that cannot be said of KLHA. I gathered that our neighbours are more professional in their approached in their appointment, unlike the KLHA who are overawed by the colour of one's skin.

We are not surprised that this dutchman is now going to the market about this neighbouring country's hockey as he has done when he did not get what he wanted in Malaysia.Mark my word that he will not have anything good to say about our neighbour as he is daily whalloping ours. Sour grapes.

KLHA, since you all are so cock-sure of his ability and now he have screwed KLHA big time, can KLHA be men enough to put him in his place and inform him that ASIA does not have to condon with his shit and shut him up once and for all.

Hockey Educated People, ( the sentence is deleted) Let the KLHA Sec cuddle to him.

Proud Malaysians

Anonymous said...

Annonymus 8.22 and 9.35 is the same person? might be?

Anonymous said...

9.20 dan 5.46 mesti saudara 10/2.
Jenis yang sama yang boleh jual negara demi kepentingan diri sendiri.
Syabas ! 10/2 Boleh!