KUALA LUMPUR – National junior hockey head coach Amin Rahim is hoping for a second chance to lead the Young Tigers, aiming to rectify their shortcomings following a disappointing performance in the FIH Men’s Junior World Cup.
His plea comes after Malaysia’s 3-4 defeat to New Zealand in the 11th place play-off match at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium today.
The match saw both teams tied at 2-2 in normal time, with a total of 18 shots from both sides.
Amin’s charges ended their campaign in the 12th position, marking their worst finish as the host of the tournament since the 2009 edition in Johor Bahru, where they also finished in the same position.
Despite the poor outing, Amin acknowledged his team’s potential but identified areas for improvement, such as playing from the back, launching swift attacks, and penalty corners.
“Throughout my experience watching other teams in this tournament, these are the aspects that we have to improve in our game if we aim to finish better in the next edition of the tournament in two years.
“Eleven players from our current squad are still eligible to play in the upcoming World Cup, and if I’m given a chance to lead the team again, I will make sure I fix the flaws.
“Even if I’m not able to continue with my job, I hope that anyone who takes over after me can fix these flaws,” said Amin in today’s post-match conference.
Amin’s fate with the Malaysian Hockey Confederation hinges on the decision of higher management, with his contract set to expire on December 31.
Senior national team head coach Arul Selvaraj and president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal will review Amin’s tenure based on the Young Tigers’ performance throughout the year.
Despite feeling disappointed for falling short of the initial quarter-final target, Amin said he is proud of his players for their discipline and performance in the tournament.
“I’m a bit disappointed for not achieving our initial target of reaching the quarter-finals, but overall, my boys gave a good performance in the tournament.
“Our performance got better from the classification matches, and I wish we played with the same hunger and desire from the beginning of the tournament,” Amin added.
Meanwhile, New Zealand head coach Aaron Ford commended his team’s clean winning record against Malaysia and is satisfied with the exposure gained in the World Cup.
“The last time we won against Malaysia was in the Sultan of Johor Cup, where we defeated them 3-2, and I’m happy that my boys maintained their clean record against our opponents, who were equally competitive throughout the 60 minutes of the match.
“We are disappointed in not getting our top-eight finish in this tournament, but this is the start for our young team, and I’m happy with the experiences that they have gained.”
Malaysia’s goals in normal time were scored by 17-year-old Adam Ashraf (6th) and Shamir Shamsul (57th).
The Black Sticks’ goals were scored by Luke Aldred (4th) and Sam Lints in the 9th minute through a field goal.
The shoot-out saw New Zealand score four penalty strokes through Joshua Irwin, Jonty Elmes, and Patrick Ward.
Malaysia scored three goals in the shoot-out through Najmie Wan, Osman Harris, and Faris Harizan, while Kamal Mughni’s penalty was denied by Hayden Ganley.
A total of 450 Malaysian fans attended the match today, cheering on the Young Tigers by playing drums throughout the match. – December 15, 2023