KUALA LUMPUR – The recent performance by the national junior hockey team in the Sultan of Johor Cup has raised questions about their readiness to compete in the Junior World Cup in December.
Under the guidance of Muhamad Amin Rahim, the junior Speedy Tigers had a disappointing campaign in the tournament, conceding a total of 18 goals in five games.
Speaking to Scoop, former Kuala Lumpur state hockey player Manvinder Singh Dhami expressed concerns about the junior team’s upcoming World Cup campaign, emphasising the need for them to learn from their flaws before the tournament.
“After assessing the junior team’s performance in the recent tournament, they managed to win only one game against South Africa and finished in the seventh spot, losing all their crucial games, which is detrimental to the team.
“Malaysia is fortunate to participate in the Junior World Cup this year, but given their group, it will be challenging for them to advance past the group stages.
“The team is lacking when it comes to short corners and fitness. Inconsistency is a significant issue, throughout all four quarters of the game.
“Ultimately, the coaches can guide the team to a certain extent, but the rest is up to the players to execute the plan,” said Manvinder.
Manvinder, who also played for KL in the 2000 Sukma and had a career in Australia, called upon the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) to develop more programmes for scouting and nurturing young talent.
“During my time, the competition to join the national team was intense. Nowadays, the players’ standard is only at a national level, not international.
“MHC should initiate programmes in each state to foster interest in the game in rural areas and scout for players.
“Currently, junior leagues resemble carnivals, making it difficult for players to showcase their talents in just three weeks.
“In my time, we had junior tournaments spanning up to three months. There has been inadequate grassroots development by MHC.
“When we look at countries like India, Australia and the Netherlands, they have extensive grassroots programmes. In Malaysia, we often see the same faces repeatedly.
“It’s disheartening to witness the lack of passion among our junior Tigers in their games. This aspect needs improvement before they embark on their World Cup campaign,” Manvinder added.
The 13th edition of the men’s Hockey Junior World Cup will be hosted in Kuala Lumpur from December 5 to 16.
Malaysia are placed in Pool A alongside defending champions Argentina, Australia and Chile.
Malaysia’s best performance in the tournament came in the 2013 edition in New Delhi, India, where they finished fourth out of 16 teams. – November 6, 2023