KUALA LUMPUR — Former Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) deputy president, Datuk S. Shamala, believes that head coach Arul Selvaraj should be given a second chance after the national hockey team’s disappointing performance at the Olympic qualifiers in Muscat, Oman, recently.
The Speedy Tigers failed to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics after finishing last in Group A with just one point, losing 3-2 to China and 4-1 to Britain, and drawing 3-3 with Pakistan.
Speaking to Scoop, Shamala, who has a longstanding association with Arul, suggests that MHC makes a thoughtful evaluation of the coach’s role before making any hasty decisions.
She said that Arul should not become a scapegoat for the team’s underwhelming performance, citing his previous successes, including winning the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and securing a second-place finish in the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai, India last year
“I have worked with Arul for many years in the past and truly know what he’s capable of in guiding the team and the amount of sacrifice he has made over the years to ensure that the players give their 100%.
“It’s unfortunate that the performance did not meet expectations, and I’m sad that the players’ performances were not reflected in the qualifiers.
“Hence, I believe that MHC may still need his services for the game because of the knowledge he brings to the team.
“I don’t think MHC can find a better-suited candidate to replace his role,” said Shamala.
While acknowledging the need for introspection, Shamala encourages the Speedy Tigers to move on after their disappointing run in the qualifiers.
The former deputy president of the Selangor Hockey Association added that Arul, being a caring coach, should decide on his next move before the MHC management makes decisions.
She expressed confidence in Arul’s ability to set personal targets and work collaboratively with the players to achieve them.
“I know Arul’s personality, and I’m very sure that he would have moved on and started planning for what is next for the team. I hope the players can move on as well and work together with him to achieve his targets.
“Arul is a caring coach, and I know how much he loves his players. He has even used his own money to support the players when they were financially down. He has never been a selfish coach and takes good care of his players’ welfare.
“He’s a gentleman, and he has never spoken about his good deeds in public. But before MHC tells him what to do, I know that as a coach, he will know what he wants to do next.
“I think he will stay if he thinks he can fix the broken pieces, but if he thinks he can’t, he will leave, and he will have nothing to lose,” Shamala added.
Arul took over as the head coach for the Speedy Tigers in 2020, succeeding Roelant Oltmans.
Malaysia has not featured in the Olympic Games since Sydney in 2000.
They finished sixth in the Asian Games and missed a direct Olympic qualification slot after their 5-2 defeat to Pakistan.
That led to the Speedy Tigers getting the boot from the Road to Gold programme. — January 27, 2024