KUALA LUMPUR – National hockey head coach Sarjit Singh has made it clear that the young players selected in his newly revamped team should not take their opportunities for granted.
46 players were selected by the gaffer to join the selection camp from the recently concluded Malaysia Hockey League, held from March 19 to 31.
Today, the roster was trimmed down to 30 players who will begin preparation for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and Nations Cup in May.
Among the youngsters selected by Sarjit were players who participated in the FIH Men’s Junior World Cup last year, including 18-year-old Adam Ashraf and 19-year-old Azimuddin Syakir.
Nur Rahul Hrsikesa Thaitchana Muruthi, 26, and Naveennash Panicker Thevendran, 19, were also included in the 30-player list and are expected to make their senior debut under Sarjit’s tutelage in the Sultan of Azlan Shah Cup.
Veterans like 33-year-old Fitri Saari, 31-year-old Faizal Saari, 34-year-old Marhan Jalil, and 32-year-old Hafizzudin Othman – with over a century of appearances each – have also been selected in Sarjit’s new team, bringing the average squad age to 25 years old.
Sarjit said that the team he has assembled will not be permanent, indicating that the players will be assessed based on their attitude, commitment, and performance regularly.
“I have selected the final 30, but this is not definitive. Any one of these players may be replaced if they fail to meet my expectations.
“The selections were made fairly, as I value those who prove their commitment on the turf above all else. As a coach, I prefer to work with players who prove themselves through hard work rather than assuming that they are superstars.
“I’m happy with the dedication shown by the youngsters in the training sessions over the past 12 days. Players like Nur Rahul, Adam, and Naveen really showed me and justified why they deserve a place on the team.
“I want all my players to continue this momentum and fight for their places to make it to the final 18 list for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup,” said Sarjit during a press conference at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil today.
At the same time, Sarjit assured that 16 out of the 46 players who were not selected for his team will still be given a chance to represent the country in the future.
“They still have a chance to represent Malaysia in the years to come. The boys are still young and have a lot of potential.
“We will definitely include them in the junior tournaments and possibly utilise them in the hockey five series in the years to come.
“I hope the boys continue fighting for their spots through their consistent performances on the turf,” Sarjit added.
The 61-year-old Sarjit was appointed on a two-year contract by the Malaysia Hockey Confederation.
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, Sarjit’s team will participate in the Asian Champions Trophy in Inner Mongolia, China, scheduled to take place from September 8 to 17.
The Speedy Tigers are currently ranked 13th in the world, with 1,828.27 points. – April 1, 2024