KUALA LUMPUR – National hockey head coach Sarjit Singh will announce his final 18-player squad for the upcoming Sultan Azlan Shah Cup after the Speedy Tigers’ friendly match against New Zealand on May 1.
The friendly will serve as a warm-up match for the 30 players recently selected by Sarjit for the tournament, scheduled from May 4 to 11.
The 30 players were chosen by the coach from a total pool of 46 players who participated in the recently concluded Malaysia Hockey League (MHL), held from March 19 to 31.
Speaking to Scoop, Sarjit assured that all selected players would receive fair opportunities to participate in the invitational men’s hockey tournament.
He dismissed speculation regarding forward Nur Rahull Hrsikesa Thaitchana Muruthi’s fitness issues.
It was reported that the 26-year-old Penangite, who scored 18 goals for the KL-based club NurInsafi in last season’s MHL, had been struggling with his fitness and might not play in the tournament.
“The training went well from April 1 to 6, with all 30 players showing commitment.
“They were on their Aidilfitri break from April 7 to 15, and we coaches still gave them a training programme to follow when they were off.
“As a coach, it’s my duty to ensure that all my players are fit before the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
“I’m happy to say that all 30 players in my team are physically fit and injury-free.
“We will resume training at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium (today) until the 25th and we will depart for Ipoh on the 28th.
“It’s not true that Nur Rahull is having issues with his fitness. He’s perfectly fine and will get all the game time he needs in the matches we will be playing.
“I will announce the final 18 players for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup tournament after our friendly match against New Zealand on May 1 in Ipoh,” said Sarjit when contacted.
At the same time, Sarjit also assured that the remaining 12 players from the initial 30 will remain part of the Speedy Tiger’s backup squad.
He also said that the Malaysia Hockey Confederation (MHC) is searching for an additional team to play a friendly match before the tournament.
“Although I will be choosing 18 players for the tournament, the core of the team will remain with the 30 players I have selected.
“The 12 players will still train with us during the tournament and will be our backup players. We will rotate them if there are any injuries to the main players.
“I will ensure that all 30 players are given the game time they deserve. None of them will be left out as long as I’m the coach.
“I need to give them time to settle and ensure that they become versatile players, as this is what we require in modern hockey,” Sarjit added.
Sarjit, 61, was appointed head coach by MHC on a two-year contract.
His main target is to build a formidable team for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya and lead the Speedy Tigers to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
In addition to the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and the Nations Cup in Poland, his team will participate in the Asian Champions Trophy in Inner Mongolia, China, scheduled for September 8 to 17.
The Speedy Tigers are currently ranked 13th in the world, with 1,828.27 points. – April 16, 2024