News 11 August 2014
All the news for Monday 11 August 2014
Who’s next after Dharmaraj?
Losing to Trinidad and Tobago proving to be final nail in Dharmaraj’s coffin.
PETALING JAYA — The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) is poised to name a new head coach today.
The national body have called for an emergency council meeting today to discuss the fate of current national hockey coach K. Dharmaraj.
It was apparently the only agenda on the invite sent out to council members on Saturday night.
MHC’s top brass were supposed to meet the National Sports Council (NSC) this morning regarding Dharmaraj’s position but it was called off.
“The president (Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah) decided to meet NSC together with the council,” said MHC secretary Datuk Johari Abdul Aziz yesterday.
National juniors coach Arul Selvaraj and MHC coaching director Tai Beng Hai are allegedly the front-runners to guide the team to the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea next month.
It is understood the council have been called to endorse the move to replace to Dharmaraj.
And it would unlikely be a fulltime role as MHC could opt to assess the situation after the Asian Games.
Former national coach Sarjit Singh, who handled the team in 2007 and 2008, was also said to be in the mix but he appeared to be out of the race as several officials were not in favour of him.
Furthermore, he had just signed a lucrative deal with Terengganu in preparation for the Premier Hockey League in October.
Calls for Dharmaraj’s resignation came after a last place finish at the World Cup, a lacklustre display at the Commonwealth Games and a players revolt. Malaysia even lost to lowly Trinidad and Tobago in Glasgow.
In his defence, Dharmaraj said Malaysia were the lowest-ranked team at the World Cup and it was a senior-junior mix team of second stringers in Scotland.
The Asian Games was Dharmaraj’s key performance index (KPI) as MHC targeted the gold medal, which also gives an automatic spot to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Malaysia won the silver in New Delhi four years ago.
Meanwhile, the World Cup review panel did not suggest a new coach be installed. The panel submitted their findings to Tengku Abdullah last week and he will present the report to the MHC council on August 18.
Malay Mail
Dharma out, Arul Selvaraj in
By Jugjet Singh
PIC: Arul Selvaraj to replace Dharmaraj (right) who had taken over from Paul Revingtion (left).
THE Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) held an emergency meeting yesterday, and decided to sideline coach K. Dharmaraj from the Asian Games which will be held in Incheon, South Korea from Sept 19 to Oct 4.
In his shoes, MHC has placed Arul Selvaraj as interim coach, while Tai Beng Hai will be the manager cum assistant coach.
A gold medal at the Asian Games is a direct entry into the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, and the MHC have set Arul a target of playing in the final.
“After reading the World Cup review committee report, as well as watching the Commonwealth Games performance, I called for a special council meeting and it was decided that we replace Dharmaraj with Arul as interim coach, while Tai Beng Hai will be the manager as well as assistant coach (until an assistant coach is named),” said MHC president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.
Malaysia, under coach Dharmaraj, ended as the Dirty Dozen out of 12 teams in the World Cup without a single win or draw to show.
While at the Commonwealth Games, the team hit another low when they were beaten 4-2 by Trinidad and Tobago, who scored their first win at the Games since hockey was introduced in 1998 at the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games.
“This decision was taken based on result, as well as the team’s performance. But I would like to thank Dharmaraj, as he was pushed into this position when (Paul) Revington resigned.
“Dharmaraj took up the challenge, but we did not do well in both the tournaments. The World Cup review committee report has stated many factors which led to Malaysia performing badly at the Hague, and without going into details, the step to replace the coach is among the remedies to move forward,” said Tengku Abdullah.
While Tengku Abdullah said the report will not be made public as it contains many issues penned down by players in anonymous questionnaires, it was reliably learnt that player-power was among the reasons why Malaysia did badly at the World Cup as well as the Commonwealth Games.
“I will have a chat with the players after this, and warn them to buck up. They must have the drive to play for the country, and in these days leading to the Asian Games if they do not show unity and commitment, Malaysia will pull out of the Asian Games, and I am serious about this,” warned Tengku Abdullah.
“Lets all forget about any animosity or problems, and work together for the sake of the country. And we will decide what to do with Dharmaraj at a later date, as right now, planning for the Asian Games is of utmost importance.
“He (Dharmaraj) has received a show-cause letter (for his outburst in FaceBook, and he has replied. We will consider at a later date if it warrants a Disciplinary Board referral,” said Tengku Abdullah.
Dharmaraj had hit out at MHC officials on FB, just before heading to Scotland, by saying that they live on trees or caves and that’s why they do not understand why Malaysia ended last at the World Cup.
Jugjet's World of Field Hockey
What a sham MHC
In what can be labelled a conspiracy made in hell, the Malaysian Hockey Confederation decided to replace their national hockey team coach just 40 days before the Asian Games.
And in an about turn, the gold medal target, so strongly advocated in the past has now been reduced to a [lace in the final of the Asian Games, something that will not make a difference as on;y the gold medal winner makes it to the 2016 Olympics.
MHC named Arul Selvaraj as the head, given powers to pick his own assistants while Tai Beng Hai was named as the manager, thus casting a doubt on the future of George Koshy as well.
Listen to the full press conference and decide if Malaysian Hockey heads for a free fall as answers are evasive.
Malaysian Hockey blogspot
Daring show intent as Fürste returns
EHL newcomers Daring have shown they will be no pushovers when they make their tournament debut in Barcelona in October as they got the better of both Bloemendaal and Oranje Zwart over the weekend.
On Saturday, they overcame the hosts Bloemendaal 3-2 with goals from Corentin Desmet, Tanguy Cosyns and Argentine international Manu Brunet.
A day later, they saw off EHL finalists and Dutch champions OZ by the same scoreline with Jof Cosyns netting twice and Tanguy getting the other goal.
The high quality series of preseason games also featured UHC Hamburg for whom Moritz Fürste made his comeback to the hockey pitch following a frustrating five months out with injury. He lined out in games against Bloemendaal and Kampong, stating on Twitter "great to finally get back on the pitch".
Euro Hockey League media release
Top stars to pay tribute to Bloem trio
Former Bloemendaal players Christopher and Philipp Zeller will return to the club on August 17 to take part in a farewell match for Nick Meijer, Eby Kessing and Ronald Brouwer.
Besides the brothers from Germany's Rot-Weiss Koln, many more top current and former stars will take part in the celebration which takes place at 3.30pm with all welcome to come and watch.
The trio retire after glittering careers with the Haarlem club, helping the side in its run to six successive Hoofdklasse titles between 2005 and 2010 while all three played in the club's 2009 and 2013 EuroHockey League victories.
Brouwer scored the first two goals in a breathtaking 2009 final against UHC Hamburg, one which the Dutch side went on to win 5-4. Meijer, meanwhile, showed his star skills to help Bloemendaal hit the front in the 2013 final, setting up Rogier Hofman for the first of two goals in a 2-0 win against Dragons.
With that trio unavailable next season, the Bloemigans will look forward to a new look squad that includes talented youngsters like Pelle Vos, Maurits Visser, Floris Molenaar and Daniel Aarts.
Euro Hockey League media release
Hockey festival in Oman a grand success
Team Coorg players pose for a group picture along with the organisers. - Supplied photo
Muscat: The Friends of Naqvi Group and Team Coorg, under the patronage of Indian Embassy and the Oman Hockey Association (OHA), successfully organised a hockey festival to mark India's 68th Independence Day at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex (SQSC) here on Friday.
The day's activities included two matches, the Ambassador's Cup and the seventh Independence Day of India Cup ties, both of which were played under floodlights at the SQSC hockey facility.
In Ambassador's Cup match, the Indian Embassy XI defeated Indian School Al Seeb by a 2-1 margin to lift the trophy while Oman Veterans XI overcame Team Coorg 6-3 to clinch the Independence Day Cup.
The events were presided over by chief guest and Indian Ambassador J.S. Mukul while OHA chief Sheikh Mahfoodh Ali Juma Al Juma was the guest of honour. OFA General Secretary Redha Taqi Al Lawati, Oman Cricket General Secretary Madhu Jesrani and Sultan Ahmed, a former national-level player from India, were among those who attended the festival.
Indian Ambassador J. S. Mukul, Madhu Jesrani and Redha Taqi handed over the trophies and certificates during an impressive prize-giving ceremony.
The Indian Ambassador also honoured four-year-old hockey player Fawaz Shahul Hameed, the youngest player to show is love and enthusiasm for the game during the day.
"It is great to see such a big turnout for this hockey festival. I am please to see hockey lovers from all communities come to the stadium to mark the Independence Day celebrations through this hockey festival," S.A.S. Naqvi, who over the years has been doing yeoman service to the promotion of hockey both in India and Oman, said.
Mohammad Osama Rawat, while giving the vote thanks, said: "We would like to express our sincere thanks to OHA, Indian Embassy and business establishments for supporting the event. We would also like to thank each individual who has been involved in organising this festival and the hockey lovers who turned up in large numbers to make it a grand success."
The event was supported by Khimji Ramdas, Raha Poly Products and Pocari (Muscat Pharmacy) and BG.
Times of Oman
Canadian U18 Women's Nationals Championship Day Recap
BC Blue Takes Gold
Championship day here in Calgary for the U18 National tournament proved to be an exciting one. From highly charged consolation games to the game of the day, there was never a dull moment.
Manitoba and Alberta took the pitch first thing this morning, playing a scoreless first half. Alberta was heavy on the attack but the gates didn’t open until the second half when Sydney Short put away the first field goal, followed quickly by Courtney Andrews with a crafty play in front of net, and Jill Horner off a fast break. Alberta versus Manitoba ended at 4-0 when Julia Kwan finished a penalty corner for Alberta. Manitoba GK Kristen Hunt had another stoic day in net, banking some stellar saves.
The incredibly intense bronze medal game between BC White and BC Yellow showcased some excellent Hockey. It was back and forth for 64 minutes of play until #12 Rachel Kwan of BC Yellow knocked in a beautiful goal. Yellow held on for five more minutes to seal the deal on the bronze.
PEI and Alberta had a great match for 5th place. Both teams gained some confidence in the previous days’ games. The game was very offensive – PEI hit first at 10 minutes in as #9 Alyssa Fergusson put one away; Alberta answered with 2 goals from Courtney Andrews, and one before from Sophie Restauro. Nobody let up in the second half, PEI closing in at 2-3 when Morganne Rice notched an early one; however, Alberta answered with two more on the day from Tara Broten and Emily Prystupa. The host province solidified a 5th place finish.
BC Blue and Ontario then put on a show for us. It was a solid gold medal match, even playing, great skill, and beautiful finishes. BC Blue came out with high pressure and #7 Samantha McILwrick finished a fast break ball, making it 1-0 from the start. Ontario reciprocated just before half with a field goal from #6 Chelcie Mendonca. The second half was the same back-and-forth and very skilled hockey. Both teams changed their strategy a bit, and in the 55th minute Elizabeth Riedl put in the winning goal, adding an insurance goal for her squad just 8 minutes later. BC Blue held on for the win and will go home with the gold.
Congratulations to BC Yellow, Ontario, and BC Blue for medaling in the U18 National Tournament. Calgary is a wonderful host to hockey and thank you to Chrissy Kilroe and Burgundy Biletski of Field Hockey Alberta for organizing and facilitating.
Field Hockey Canada media release
Successful tournament for West Coast youngsters
West Coast Hockey, in conjunction with Sport Canterbury, ran the annual WC Primary Schools hockey tournament at the Westurf Stadium in Greymouth on 28th July.
Timed to coincide with the Commonwealth Games and latch onto hockey’s high profile, players enjoyed a day of games in the beautifully fine but chilly West Coast weather.
Seven school teams battled for the trophy in a round robin competition with 65 players registered on the day, 35 of those players were non-club hockey players and enjoyed the opportunity to put their Small Stick skills to the test in their first meaningful competition.
The half field 6 a-side tournament for year 7/8 students proved popular. Ten minute games with no break created a fast-paced format and kept scores competitive. Grey High School provided umpires on the day with students providing a crucial primary-secondary school link and was praised for their students' efforts giving back to sport.
Sport Canterbury and West Coast staff provided crucial support for the West Coast Hockey Association to coordinate and run the day.
“WCHA Is a totally volunteer group and engagements during the school day often stretch their resources so this targeted sport engagement between hockey and the RST (Regional Sports Trust) is an excellent example of the value of these relationships,” said Jack O’Connor, West Coast Regional Manager for Sport Canterbury.
Karoro School, who have a long hockey pedigree and a strong link to the local NBS Karoro Hockey Club, took the title with a string of unbeaten performances to edge out the second Karoro team. The small rural Lake Brunner School finished a close third, despite having just one club player.
Three Hokitika teams made the journey north. St Patricks Blue, with no club players, surprised everyone earning two wins and a draw from their six games to finish a spirited fourth.
“The enthusiasm of the teams was matched by the fantastic fair play attitude displayed by all the teams and at a time when youth often get a bad rap. The behaviour and support around the turf was exemplary,” noted O’Connor.
While Karoro were the team winners on the day, in the eyes of West Coast Hockey everyone who picked up a stick was a winner at the event.
Hockey New Zealand Media release
Simpson helps Rebels keep hockey unbeaten run
Zanzeer Singh
FIJIAN NATIONAL triallist Kurt Simpson helped his Rebels team to remain unbeaten during the Western Rally tournament at the Nadovu ground in Lautoka on Saturday.
Rebels from Nadi secured two wins in the men's category.
The side beat Mates 3-0 and Rockefellers by the same score line.
Falcons also remain unbeaten. The Falcons team defeated Mates 2-0 and drew with Rockefellers 1-all.
Tokalau downed Falcons 2-0 in the women's fixture.
The opening round of the tournament served as a warm-up for the players who would be participating in the secondary schools championship in Suva next week.
Lautoka Hockey Association executive Ernest Coffin said the Western Rally would continue after the Daveta tournament in Suva.
"The Western Rally takes a break next week to allow the students to participate in the secondary school tournament," Coffin said.
"After that the clubs will participate in the Daveta tournament. The Western Rally will return after that."
Teams: Men's-Mates, Blue Star, Rebels, Naidrodro, Falcons, Rockefellers. Women's-Tokalau, Rebels, Blue Star, Naidrodro, Falcons.
The Fiji Times