KUALA LUMPUR — The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) regards the junior team’s underwhelming performance at the ongoing Sultan of Johor Cup (SOJC) as a critical opportunity to address weaknesses before the Junior World Cup (JWC) qualifiers.
Under the guidance of I. Vikneswaran, Malaysia’s Young Tigers, currently ranked 11th globally, have faced a series of defeats in the six-nation SOJC tournament, which began on October 19.
The team lost 3-2 to New Zealand, 4-1 to Japan, 4-2 to India, and 2-1 to Great Britain, culminating in a 9-3 loss to Australia in their final group match last night.
Malaysia are set to compete against Japan for the fifth-sixth placing match later today.
Speaking to Scoop, MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal acknowledged the concerning performance of Vikneswaran’s side.
He said that limited exposure to international tournaments has impacted the squad since its formation and emphasised that the SOJC experience reveals key areas for improvement, particularly in player fitness.
“As MHC president, I’m concerned about our performance at the SOJC. But to be fair to the coaches and the team, they have not had much international exposure.
“I see this as a blessing in disguise for the team, as we have several areas that need improvement, especially in terms of player fitness. At times, we play very good hockey, and other times we don’t… this inconsistency must change,” he said.
Subahan added that next week, a meeting with the coaches and the coaching committee will be held to develop a plan to improve the team’s fitness and performance.
“We will analyse what the issues are within the team, so we can address them next month and to ensure we’re prepared to perform well in the Junior Asia Cup (JAC) to qualify for the JWC in India on merit next year,” said Subahan when contacted.
The JAC is scheduled to take place in Muscat, Oman from November 26 to December 4, serving as the JWC qualifying event, where the top six Asian teams will earn a spot.
“The coaching committee, alongside the junior team manager and coaches, will hold a meeting next week to determine the best way forward for the junior team. MHC will certainly provide full support to enhance the team’s development,” Subahan added.
Malaysia finished seventh out of eight teams in last year’s SOJC. — October 26, 2024