KUALA LUMPUR – National junior head coach I. Vikneswaran will use a fatherly approach to ensure that all his charges are well-disciplined and stay bonded as a team.
Vikneswaran, a former international player, represented Malaysia in the 1993 Junior World Cup in Spain and the senior team in the 90s and early 2000s.
The 51-year-old is also the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Association (KLHA) president and served as the national junior team manager at the Junior World Cup (JWC) in 2021 and 2023.
He was recently appointed as the junior head coach for the Young Tigers, taking over from Amin Rahim who led the team to a 12th-place finish in the JWC before it was disbanded.
Under Vikneswaran’s guidance, 26 Young Tigers will fly to Brisbane tomorrow for a six-match hockey tour.
They will play four matches against the Australian national under-21 team from July 27 to 31 and two matches against the Queensland Hockey Club on August 1 and 5.
The Malaysia Hockey Confederation (MHC)’s main target for the junior team is to qualify for next year’s JWC in India through the Junior Asia Cup.
Speaking to Scoop, Vikneswaran emphasised that while he will guide his under-21 players to be well-mannered, it is ultimately the players’ responsibility to become better individuals.
“When I was an athlete, my coach treated me like a father, and I’m going to use the same method with my players.
“It’s important to have an emotional bond with them as they tend to leave their families to join the national training camps.
“As a coach, I need to be there for them, always communicating and listening to their issues and challenges. When there’s constant bonding with the players, they feel important and connected, and their attitude improves.
“Making mistakes is part of being human, and it happens in my family as well. But as a father, I usually forgive and forget to ensure nothing breaks my family down.
“This is the same approach I’m going to use with my players. There’s no point in scolding and shouting at them, as it’s not beneficial.
“So far, my boys in the team are well-mannered, and I have been doing my part in educating them about the good and the bad.
“But at the end of the day, they need to understand where I’m coming from to elevate themselves to be better individuals,” said Vikneswaran when contacted.
Selangor Hockey Association president Ganesh Shanmugam is currently the new team manager of the national junior squad. – July 23, 2024